Newfound Love
by BlackEyes7
Summary: Presea has always kept her emotions on a leash. But what will happen when she opens her heart to Genis, who has loved her since the beginning? Will she just lose another person she cares about?
1. Chapter One: New Person

**A/N: Okay so in this chapter you will be hearing Genis' thoughts and stuff so I don't know what point of view that would be, but the bottom line is in later chapters you will be hearing Presea's so just a heads up. Now for this disclaimer:**

**I do not own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does. I sure as heck wish I did, though.**

**Enjoy**!

After breaking yet another mana link, everyone was exhausted and decided to stop at Flanoir. Raine was reading a book, and Regal had already went to bed. Lloyd was lying down on the couch with Colette curled up next to him, both dozing peacefully while Sheena and Zelos were still arguing relentlessly. The things they could sleep through was amazing.

"You must be so tired after forming that pact with Celsius, Sheena. Why don't you come over here so I can give you a massage-" The sound of Sheena's slap echoed around the room.

"I'm not your hunny, Zelos!" Sheena shrieked with defiance. Zelos clutched the red mark on the side of his face.

"Geez Sheena! That hurt! My precious face..." Zelos whimpered. The ninja raised her hand, about to hit him again when Zelos held up his hands in front of his face.

"Hold your fire! I'm sorry, alright?" he pleaded. Sheena lowered her hand with a look of victory on her face.

"Good boy," she said.

Genis sat in front of the fire, with Presea sitting just a few inches away from him. She just stared dully into the bright orange flames. The silver-haired half elf had thought about saying something to her many times, but it never seemed appropriate. _She looks so sad, _Genis thought. _I want to cheer her up...but how? _He looked over at her, taking in the sight of her spiky pink pigtails, strong arms that were mostly covered by her long grey gloves, and the glimmering cruxis crystal that sat in the base of her neck. Her usually sparkling blue eyes were dark, and full of despair.

"P-P-Presea?" Genis stuttered. _C'mon Genis! Don't stutter,_ he scolded himself. He just got so nervous around her. She looked over slowly, tearing herself away from the smoky fireplace.

"Yes?" she replied, not noticing or not caring about his stuttering.

"I-I was, um, wondering, if, ah," Pull it together, you can do it, he thought. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" Genis blurted. _At least I didn't stutter. _Presea remained as emotionless as ever.

"I would like that," she answered in a monotone. They both rose from their seats next to the fireplace and strode to the door.

"Where are you two going?" Raine demanded.

"Genis and I will be going on a walk. We will be back shortly," the pink-haired girl replied. Raine nodded and returned to her book. Genis' face burned red and Zelos flashed him a wink. The mage blushed even deeper. Presea led the way into the cold air of Flanoir and they walked around the small town. Genis took this as his opportunity.

"Why do you look so sad, Presea?" he probed. Shock crossed her face momentarily before she covered it back up.

"Do you really care?" she whispered, tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

"What? Oh, yeah I care. Why else would I ask a question like that?" he said. Presea nodded, deciding on telling him the truth.

"Ah, I see. I'm sorry. I will tell you then," she responded flatly. They stopped at a snow covered balcony.

"From the moment you placed this key crest on my neck, reality has become a cruel idea for me. The years that I have lost, the people I have lost. It is all sorrow. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have been better off never having this key crest. The world is no place for a person like me. I've lost everyone, and everything. People think of me as a monster. I even assisted the people who have caused you all so much trouble. I'm a burden. You probably hate me." Her eyes became watery again. Genis was so shocked that he forgot all his nervousness.

"Presea, you are no burden. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he said. Presea's attention was immediately caught and she turned her head so she could look at him. She saw nothing but sincerity and seriousness in his eyes. He continued, "That day we gave you that key crest, I was so happy. You could live again. Those years aren't lost, Presea. Sure, you aren't living them in the time you would have before, but you can live them now, with different people that you wouldn't have met otherwise. As a half elf, I know what it's like to feel left out. Nobody wants anything to do with you, and they treat you like scum. But there are people out there who don't care about what you are, they only care about who you are. Everyone inside that inn is like that. I haven't once viewed you as a monster, even when you were still frozen in that state without emotion. It wasn't your fault that you helped those people. It was theirs for using you. You haven't lost everyone either, Presea, because I will be here for you. Always. I will protect you. You may think that the world won't ever be accepting with you, but I would lose the world without you. I love you, Presea." Genis couldn't believe he had just done that. He had came out here to cheer her up, not confess his feelings! What if she didn't love him back? He looked nervously at her face that remained in a look of shock. She didn't know what to do because no one had ever spoken to her like that. (**A/N: I know I said I wouldn't give her thoughts until later but I'm kinda cheating;)**) A warm, unfamiliar feeling spread through the pit of her stomach, and she didn't know what it was. _Could this be...love?_ she wondered. She had never opened up her heart like this ever before, and now all her suppressed feelings towards him had come bursting out. He's the only person for me, she thought. Genis was starting to get really scared when she still didn't respond. Then, she spread into one of her rare smiles.

"Thank you, thank you so much Genis," she said, while a few tears started to roll down her face. "I love you too," she confessed. Genis stood there, staring incredulously into her bright blue orbs. Then, he rushed up and gave her a hug, holding her as close as he could. Presea was rigid for a second, and then she relaxed into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his back. He pulled back slightly to face her, their breaths mingling from the closeness. They both were smiling, and Presea took her chance to display her own love. She leaned in slowly with her eyes closed slightly, and then kissed Genis gently. He kissed her back, with slightly more force. He didn't know how many times he had dreamt of this moment, and he couldn't believe it was happening, that the girl of his dreams loved him back. They broke apart, each blushing slightly. Presea raised one gloved hand to caress his cheek, while her other grasped his hand. This was the first time she had succumbed to her emotions, and she actually...enjoyed it.

"M-maybe...we should head back," she told him, a blush blossoming. _I can't believe it, _Genis thought, _she actually stuttered...and blushed! She's even cuter than before._

"Yeah," he agreed, also blushing. They began their short walk back to the inn and right before they entered, Presea nudged Genis.

"Hm? What is it?" he asked, truly curious. Instead of answering, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly.

"I love you," she muttered. Genis really liked it when she said that.

"I love you too," he replied. Grabbing her hand, they made their way into the inn. When they got to the room, Lloyd and Colette were still sleeping on the couch, but Raine had gone up to bed and Sheena was playing with her cards. Zelos had fallen asleep in his chair, which was a good thing because he would have prodded Genis for every detail of him and Presea's walk otherwise. Sheena snapped her head up to look at the two standing in the doorway. Her eyes lowered to their entwined hands. The summoner's face spread into a grin.

"Are you two..." she whispered, not wanting to wake anyone. Presea nodded while she cracked a smile. Sheena gasped.

"Congratulations! Whoa, did Presea just...smile?" she asked. Her face was a cross of shock and happiness. Presea blushed and leaned into Genis.

"You two better go up to bed, it's late," Sheena told them, still smiling. "That's so great for you guys," she said.

"Thanks, Sheena," Genis responded quietly. The new couple walked up the stairs and went into their separate rooms. Everyone had their own rooms in this huge inn. Genis lay in his bed, unable to sleep. He kept thinking of how soft her lips were and how warm she was against him. She's like a new person, he thought, but I like it. He lay there for about an hour with his mind racing. Then, his door creaked open a little bit. Genis grabbed his kendama, preparing for a monster to burst in. Instead, he saw Presea's head peek out around the door. Genis let out a sigh of relief and dropped his kendama.

"What are you still doing up?" he asked as she opened the door the rest of the way and walked in.

"I should ask you the same question," she countered. Genis smiled.

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted as he sat up on the bed. She joined him.

"Me neither," she said quietly. Her gloves were off and Genis grabbed her hand, realizing how cold it was.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Presea turned her head and stared straight into his eyes.

"Yes," she replied quietly.

"You're lying," he said. Her eyes gave it away. She sighed in defeat.

"I...I kept thinking. How I had never opened my heart to anything before, and how I used to think emotions made me weak. But, I don't anymore. I want to feel them now. And I just can't stop thinking about you. I close my eyes, there you are. I open them, and I am only aware of emptiness. If I did go to sleep, I'm afraid of nightmares. In my dreams...I always lose someone. And now I'm afraid it's going to be you." A tear slid down her cheek. Genis wiped it away with his hand and chuckled. Presea looked at him, confused.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked.

"No, I was just thinking of how tonight is the first time I've ever seen you cry."

"Oh." They sat a few moments in silence, with Genis' arms around her.

"Genis?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"May I sleep with you tonight?"

Genis was shocked. It made him happy just to have her with him now, but for her to stay with him all night would just be...amazing.

"Of course," he finally replied, smiling. The pink-haired girl smiled at him and kissed his cheek. Then he scooted over to make room for her under the covers. She wrapped her arms around him and he stroked her hair. It was all spread out and loose opposed to the normal pigtails she wore it in. _It's so pretty_, he thought. _She's so pretty_.

**A/N: Okay, so here's the first chapter:) I've actually written this story all the way up to chapter 24, and it is still going, but it was uploaded on a site called Wattpad. Anyways, I'll upload all those chapters as fast as I can. A side note: I'm copy-pasting the chapters from Wattpad, some of them might not have italics and bold and whatnot because I didn't always have access to it, so sorry for that. Reviews are oh-so-appreciated, and you know the drill, so make me a happy girl! :D**

**BE**


	2. Chapter Two: News

When Presea woke up, her head was laying on someone's chest. What...where am I? she wondered. It took her a moment to realize that she was with Genis in his room. The axe-girl smiled as she remembered last night. The feeling of kissing, the rhythmic stroking of his hand on her hair, the feeling of love. It was all so new. Presea wondered how long Genis had waited to do these things with her. She laid there for a while, breathing in his scent. She knew that eventually she had to get up, but for now she decided not to wake him. He looks so cute and peaceful when he's sleeping, she thought. Then, Presea heard footsteps in the hallway. Someone must be awake, she thought. Then, all of a sudden the door creaked open. Presea immediately stiffened, ready for whatever was going to come inside the room. The next moment, half of Sheena appeared hiding behind the door. She smiled.

"You two slept together?" she whispered. "That is so cute! But what will Raine say about this?"

"Calm down, Sheena. We didn't do anything, but neither of us could sleep so I asked if I could spend the night here," she explained.

"Oh, okay," she sighed quietly. "I am really happy for you, Presea." She smiled before exiting. Then, her head peeped out from behind the door again. "And you should wear your hair down more often! It looks very pretty." Presea blushed. Wearing her hair loose was not practical for battle, and she had no idea how Colette did it. As she began to snuggle back into Genis, he stirred. His eyelids fluttered open.

"Presea?" he mumbled sleepily, "Are you awake?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Good," he responded with a smile, more awake. "I know I need to get up but I really don't want to move right now," he joked as he pulled Presea closer. She smiled faintly at his remark, and then stretched up to peck him on the lips. The pink-haired girl pulled back before climbing out of bed, tugging Genis along with her.

"You have to get up," she told him. He mumbled incoherent sounds and eventually made his way out of his bed to stand on the hard wood floor. Genis had started to fully wake up now.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you last night," she said shyly.

"You're welcome," he replied. "We'd better go get ready for the day then. It's going to be a long one full of battles."

"Yes, another summon spirit awaits us," she agreed. Presea walked over to the door and walked out, shutting the door softly. Then, she froze when she heard the sound of whistling. What? Why am I so nervous? What's wrong with me? If Genis is my boyfriend, this is nothing to be embarrassed about, right? she thought. All these new emotions and concepts were really confusing her, making her head looked down the hallway to see Zelos walking straight towards her. He didn't look down at the little ax-girl until he got to the doorway she was still standing in. Genis' doorway. At first, the redhead's expression was of puzzlement, but as his eyes flickered from an emotionless Presea and the door that opened to Genis' room he came to a realization.

"No way," he muttered with a smile. "Did you stay in there last night?"

"Yes," she replied, keeping a blank face. Why does everyone think that this is such a big deal? she wondered.

"What did you guys do?" He looked like a child with a bucketful of candy. Presea blinked, unsure of how to answer.

"I...we...slept? Isn't that what you do at night?" She tilted her head, confused.

"Yeah, sure," Zelos snickered. "Is Sheena downstairs?" he asked, changing subjects.

"Yes."

"Thanks. Take care of Genis for me." The swordsman winked before descending the stairs. Presea remained still._ I will_, she promised silently. _He is all I have left._ Presea walked to her room, which happened to be directly across from the silver-haired half elf. She ran a brush throught her slightly tangled hair, which reached her waist when loose. She tied it up into her signature pigtails, and pulled on her gloves. After she slipped on her boots and belt and grabbed her axe, she walked downstairs. Regal, Zelos, Sheena, Colette, Genis and Lloyd were all gathered around the large rustic dining table eating breakfast. When she reached the bottom of the stairs with a large clunk, everyone stopped to stare at her. Lloyd nudged Genis and he blushed. Presea was really confused.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, truly wondering. They all started to laugh, except for Genis. He seemed like he wanted to sink right through the floor. _What's going on?_ she questioned silently.

"It's what you did right, Presea," Zelos said slyly, winking at her. She looked over at Genis, who was turning redder and redder. Colette smiled brightly at her.

"Congratulations!" she blurted. Lloyd started to crack up at her outburst.

"I am confused," she said in a flat tone, keeping her face blank. "Genis, what is going on?" she asked with a slight amount of emotion leaking through._ It's him,_ she realized. _He's where it comes from._

"Guys, take it down a few notches. You are aware that she has an axe, right?" Sheena said. Presea looked down to see her large weapon still tightly in her grasp. She set it down next to the stairs.

"Colette, what exactly are you congratulating me on? I haven't done anything," the pink-haired girl pointed out.

"You and Genis of course!" Presea snapped her head around to look at Sheena and Zelos, who were doing their best to look occupied with their food. The fact that Genis was blushing so deeply made her blush lightly to match the color of her hair. She even cracked a smile.

"Presea is..." Regal started.

"Smiling!" Lloyd finished. Presea took her seat next to Genis and everyone resumed their meals. Lloyd would occasionally steal a glance at the couple, with Colette nudging him to leave them alone. Raine appeared at the foot of the stairs a few minutes later.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting," she apologized. Her eyes caught sight of Genis and Presea sitting together, and her expression changed from apologetic to confused.

"Did I miss something?" she asked, gesturing to the two.

"N-no!" Genis replied a little too quickly. Raine smirked, knowing she would find it out from the rest of the group as she took her seat between Zelos and Regal. Presea decided to break the silence between her and Genis.

"They certainly are making a big deal about this," she murmured.

"Yeah, but they'll lose interest after a little bit," he told her.

"Mm," she agreed. "I am happy, though, that we are together." she said while looking into his eyes. He smiled and so did she.

"Me too," the half elf whispered. No one seemed to notice that little moment, and Presea greatly appreciated it. She didn't like attention and she was pretty sure Genis didn't either. After their breakfast, the group set off to form yet another pact. Everyone hopped on their rheairds to travel back to Sylvarant. They wanted to go capture Sylph today. Genis traveled beside Presea, Lloyd beside Colette, Zelos beside Sheena, and Regal beside Raine, forming a tight pack. When they arrived at the temple, they found the three summon spirits of the wind sitting at the altar. Sheena stated her vow, and everyone prepared for battle. They knew from previous summon spirits that they needed to test the group's strength before giving them their power.

"Let us begin!" The three spirits shouted in unison.

**A/N: Alright, chapter two! In case you haven't noticed, Presea is OOC. However, that's only because in my story she gets her emotions back (mostly), but still has a few of her old habits. Hopefully that isn't a deal breaker for you. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated! Ciao for now,**

**BE**


	3. Chapter Three: Injury

**So I'm trying to come up with chapter names, but it's really difficult for some reason. If you could let me know if you think they are appropriate or not, I would be really grateful. Anyway, enjoy!**

Everyone drew their weapons. Presea charged the one with the shield known as Fairess, while Lloyd took on the one with the sword called Sephie. Zelos went for the archer know as Yutis, bouncing between magic and combat. Regal was assisting Zelos and Colette helped Lloyd. Sheena went in to take Fairess with Presea, but even so they were a tough opponent.

"Hunting beast!" Lloyd shouted

"Triple ray satellite!" Colette yelled.

"Thunder Blade!" Zelos called.

"Stalagmite!" Genis cast.

"Eternal devastation!"

"Pyre seal!"

"Nurse!"

As the battle raged on, everyone got increasingly tired as their mana drained. As Genis was casting in the back, oblivious to what was going on around him, Fairess broke free of Presea and Sheena's attacks and ran towards him.

"Genis, watch out!" Presea screamed. While he was casting, however, he couldn't be aware of anyhting else. All his attention had to be centered on that spell. She knew what Fairess planned to do.

"Beast!" She swung her axe in a large circle, causing the head of a blue monster to come roaring off her weapon. Presea cursed in her mind as she missed the spirit by a few inches. As Fairess prepared her attack, Genis' eyes snapped open, realizing what was going to happen.

"Here I go!" Fairess said, lunging forward. She crushed Genis under her enormous shield. When the spirit got up, he wasn't moving. Presea let out a strangled scream and charged her.

"Presea, don't! You'll only get smashed!" Sheena warned.

"I don't care! She took the only person I had left, and she will pay!" she shrieked, going into overlimit mode. A black aura surrounded her.

"Destruction! Finality punishment! Eternal Devastation!" Sheena decided to back her up after giving up on calming her down.

"Cyclone seal!" Fairess rose high into the air and slammed into the ground, recieving massive damage. Yutis went down, and Zelos broke off to help the two girls. Regal went to help Lloyd and Colette with Selphie, as she was quite strong.

"Unison attack!" Lloyd yelled.

"Thunder Blade!"

"Heavy tiger blade!"

"Judgement!"

"Beast!"

"Ready for this?" Lloyd said.

"Lightning tiger blade!" Lloyd and Zelos yelled, preforming a combo. Selphie screamed as Lloyd slashed at her and Zelos' lightning crashed down. Then she collapsed, defeated. Presea was breathing heavy, but she didn't stop. Fairess was the strongest and she needed to take her down. Plus, she...she...may have killed Genis! she thought. Raine continued to heal wounds of everyone but Genis, who was still lying on the ground. As everyone attacked Fairess, she soon was deafeated. The battle was over.

"You guys are strong!" Fairess declared.

"You are worthy," Yutis said.

"I am impressed," Selphie added. "We will lend you our power." The victory was short lived as everyone's attention went back to a bloodied Genis lying on the ground. Presea rushed over, lifting his head up into her lap.

"Ahhh! Raine, help him!" she pleaded. The group came over, Raine pushing to the front. There were deep gashes on his arms and and head.

"His wounds are too severe. We have to find a doctor," Raine said worriedly.

"Presea...just calm down," Colette said soothingly. Presea lifted her tear streaked face long enough to shout,

"No! I won't calm down! I...I can't...these emotions...they are strong," she whimpered before once again lowering her head.

"Professer Sage, will she be alright?" Lloyd asked. This wasn't very Presea-like at all.

"Yes I believe so, but her emotions are all coming back it once, so it must be a bit overwhelming," Raine explained. Sheena looked down into her pocket.

"It makes me a little mad to know the people, er, spirits who did this are sitting comfortably in my pocket," Sheena said as she crossed her arms. Presea was still crying softly, trying to calm herself down. Relax, she told herself, we just need to get him to a doctor and he will be fine. But what if he isn't? a voice nagged in the back of her mind. She pushed that voice away, however and finally spoke.

"We should go to Flanoir to seek help from the doctor...quickly," she said quietly. Raine nodded in agreement.

When they finally arrived, the doctor examined each of his wounds.

"He's lost a lot of blood, and these cuts are quite deep. He'll need a few stitches, but after that he will be okay," the doctor said quickly before he handed Raine some needles and thread.

"Wait...why are you giving me this stuff?" she asked.

"I am too busy to deal with him right now, just numb it with some ice and sew," he replied nonchalantly. Lloyd was starting to get mad.

"How can you be too busy to deal with a patient?! Isn't that your job?" he shouted.

"Lloyd, calm down. Think of how many other people he must have to deal with," Colette told him. Lloyd lost his edge slightly. The blonde angel was pleased she had this effect on him. Presea, however, was still angry. Her fists were clenched tightly by her sides. Regal noticed this and stood by her.

"It will be alright," he whispered soothingly. "Have faith in Raine."

Raine paid and thanked the doctor and the group set off to the all too familiar inn. Presea kept having flashbacks. That's the balcony where he told me he loved me...and we had our first kiss, she thought sadly. And that's the room we both slept in...

A tear slid down her cheek. The half-elf boy she carried in her arms still hadn't woken up. She wiped her eyes and kept walking without a word. Don't worry Genis, she told him silently, you will be fine. As she laid him on his bed and Raine prepared her materials, Presea grabbed his hand.

"Okay," Raine said, "Let's begin."

Ta-da! Okay, so I know Genis not moving seems stupid, but anyone who has played the game knows he gets himself killed like that A LOT. Also, because I have uploaded this whole story (or the rest of the story, it's still on-going) I will say that the chapters get a LOT longer later and a lot better, so yeah just hang in there a bit. Okay, you know what you gotta do now. Review and tell me whatcha think: Love it? Hate it? Like it? Dislike it? As Billy Mays used to say: "Well, what are you waiting for?!" Bye for now,

BE


	4. Chapter Four: Changes

Genis' mind felt like mush. He couldn't think, or talk, or move. He thought he heard Raine's voice...what was she saying? "Let's begin?" He tried to get his mouth to move, or his voice to work, but it felt like there was a brick stuffed in his mouth.

"Begin...wha?" he finally got out. He heard a gasp. Genis tried to force his eyes open, but they felt as if they weighed a hundred pounds. He managed to open them a small bit. Raine was utterly shocked; What was she holding? A needle? He tried to look up when he felt something tighten around his hand. He turned to the side to see someone's gloved hand entwined with his: Presea's. He rolled his head to the other side.

"P...Pre...sea?" he managed. Genis thought he saw her smile, but he was so out of it he couldn't tell.

"It's me, I'm here Genis," she reassured him. Her voice sounded a million miles away.

"Genis," Raine started, "This is a terrible time for you to wake up, but now you have to stay awake. You could slip into a coma."

"Mm...alrigh...I'll try," he said. "Can someone...help me...sit up?" Presea removed her hand for a moment to help him and he forced his eyes open the rest of the way. The room was extremely bright for a moment, and then it faded to normal. He looked around the room, seeing everyone. Raine was looking relieved, and Lloyd looked really happy. Colette and Sheena let out a breathe they'd been holding, and Regal stood in a corner watching the scene intently. Zelos just smirked and said,

"Nice of you to join the party." Genis cracked a smile, which was a lot more of an effort than he thought it would be. He then looked up at Presea, who looked both extremely relieved and extremely happy. They gazed into each other's eyes, and he reached up to touch her pigtail.

"I thought I had lost you," she whispered.

"I would never leave you behind, Presea," the half elf said, forgetting the rest of the people in the room and kissing her gently. As they broke apart, he saw a beautiful blush spread across her cheeks, making them rosy.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Genis, but I have bad news," Raine said.

"What is it?" he asked, now almost fully awake.

"You have to get stitches...and I was about to preform the procedure when you woke up," she explained.

"Oh..." Genis muttered. He winced slightly and then said, "Go ahead, I'm ready."

"Are you sure?" Raine asked. He tightened his grip on Presea's hand.

"I'm sure." Raine ordered everyone else out of the room, but Genis requested that Presea stay.

"Alright," Raine had finally agreed. As she held the ice pack to his arm she told him,

"This might hurt."

"I'll be okay," he replied. Looking over at Presea, he sighed. "What did I miss? What happened?" he probed.

"Well, in the middle of the battle, Fairess broke free of Sheena and me and attacked you, but since you were casting you didn't notice until it was too late," Presea explained.

"Mm. What about after?"

"Well, after...everyone started taking-" she paused as Genis winced, feeling the needle dully pierce his skin. She continued, "everyone started to take down their opponents. After the other two were defeated, Fairess didn't last long. After that, we took you to a doctor in Flanoir, who told us that you needed these stitches, but was too busy to actually do the sewing. So Raine volunteered, and that's pretty much all that happened."

"I see," Genis said, trying to take his mind off the pain. He pulled her hand to the spot next to him.

"Will you sit with me?" he asked innocently.

"Of course," Presea answered, settling herself next to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"How's he doing, Raine?" she asked.

"Very well, these wounds are sealing up cleanly," the professor responded. They sat like that for about twenty more minutes, and Raine tied the knot.

"All done!" she declared. Genis looked down to see a few rows of neat stitches along his arm. Presea ran her fingers over them, feeling each tiny thread.

"Do they hurt?" she asked, eyes full of concern.

"No, I feel fine," he murmured, smiling. Raine packed up her things and went downstairs, with Genis and Presea trailing. When they reached the base, everyone's eyes fell on them. Presea was holding the hand opposite to the injured arm, and everyone got an eyeful of his stitching. Colette giggled.

"You look like a doll I once had," she teased. Genis rolled his eyes.

"Gee, thanks," Genis replied sarcastically. Lloyd came over and clapped him on the back.

"You know, you're pretty tough. I don't know if I could've stayed awake while someone sewed me up," he said.

"Well, I had some comfort," he said, squeezing Presea's hand. He noticed her swaying and struggling to keep her eyes open. While Genis was getting his stitches, everyone else was resting after such a big battle. However, Presea had remained with Genis and hadn't gotten a chance to sleep.

"Maybe you should rest Presea. You look really tired," he whispered. She nodded.

"I will go do that," she mumbled, eyes half shut. The little pink-haired girl gave him a kiss on the cheek and dragged herself back upstairs. Genis blushed at her little display of affection, noticing everyone looking at him.

"She's changed so much," Colette said with a smile.

"What?" Genis said dumbly.

"Yeah, I've seen a big change in her too," Sheena added.

"What are you guys talking about?" Genis asked, frustrated.

"Presea, she is different," Regal declared as if clearing up the whole matter.

"But...how? She still seems pretty calm

and reserved, the way she always has been," Genis told them, confused.

"Ha! You should have seen her after you got sacked by that spirit!" Zelos laughed.

"Hm?" Genis said, suddenly intrigued. They all sat down on the plethora of couches and chairs.

"She was freaking out. Shrieked so loud it would have put a banshee to shame," Lloyd said.

"Presea went straight into over limit mode. She immediately charged Fairess and even though I tried to stop her, she didn't listen. She kept saying how 'you were the only one left' and whatnot. And even afterwards she couldn't stop crying. She wouldn't let anyone else carry you," Sheena explained further.

"Yeah, and at the doctors when he said he was 'too busy' to do your stitches, I thought she was gonna KO him," Zelos added with a smirk.

"She's like whole new person now, and I think it's because of you, Genis," Colette said. Genis blushed.

"Well, I-I don't know about that," he muttered.

"Maybe you should go check on her. I'm sure she's going through a lot after thinking you were dead," Lloyd suggested.

"Okay," Genis agreed before heading up the stairs.

**Short A/N: Review please! Nuff said.**

**BE**


	5. Chapter Five: The Dream

**Presea's POV:**

_I was running through the forest, hearing twigs snap underneath my boots. The monster chasing me was too quick, so I decided to turn around and face it. I gripped my axe tightly, prepared for battle. The monster lunged and I shot into the air before slamming my axe back down on the creature._

_"Devastation!" I shouted. Attack after attack I slowed it down, and a few lucky clips from my opponent earned me a couple deep cuts. All of a sudden, I heard something behind me. Footsteps? I whirled around to see Genis, standing in front of me with his kendama drawn._

_"Presea, look out!" he yelled. I turned around to see the monster pouncing on me, but Genis threw himself in front of me taking the blow. I swung my axe on more time, killing the beast._

_"Genis? Genis!" I shouted to the crumpled, bloody mass of my lover. I felt his hand. No pulse. "What...Genis...no...ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed._

Presea woke up with a jolt, taking heavy labored breaths. A light coating of sweat covered her forehead, and she wiped it away with her hand. The door cracked open.

"Presea, are you okay?" Genis asked. She sighed. He was safe.

"Yes," she managed.

"Really? Because I could've swore I heard you scream, and you were thrashing an awful lot," he smirked. Presea smiled.

"Nightmare," she explained. Genis wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay, I'm here," he comforted her. Genis noticed the dark bags underneath her baby blue eyes.

"You should keep resting, it's nessassary to your health," Genis said.

"But...what if I have another nightmare?" she asked, her voice quivering. It was so real, she thought.

"Then I'll stay here with you until you wake up," Genis said sternly.

"Really?" Presea asked, eyes wide.

"Really."

"Thank you, Genis," she sighed, closing her eyes. They laid down, and she snuggled into his chest with her arms wrapped around him just like the first night in Flanoir. Genis embraced her as well, and Presea quickly slipped into a dreamless sleep at last. Genis fell asleep to her rhythmic breaths a few minutes later.

Neither of them knew how long they were asleep, but all Presea knew was it was the best sleep she had gotten in a long time. After blinking a couple times, the young ax-girl had opened her eyes feeling a lot better. The first thing she saw was another pair of bright eyes looking back at her.

"Good morning," Genis said.

"Mm," she mumbled. It was too early in the process of waking up for her to say anything more intelligent. Genis got up and so did she, but Genis was a little faster. Presea knew of the situation the group was in, and decided that this short rest stop to Flanoir probably should stay short. She pulled on her gloves, belt, and boots while Genis just waited.

"Genis?" she called while pulling on her armored shoes.

"Mm?"

Instead of answering, she walked over and planted a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you for staying with me," she finally responded. For once, Genis didn't blush.

"You're plenty welcome, Presea," he muttered, not needing to talk any louder because she was right in front of him. The couple descended the staircase together, noticing the mansion was awfully quiet. When they reached the dining area of the suite they were staying in they only saw Sheena. She smiled warmly at them.

"Where is everyone?" Genis asked in puzzlement.

"In bed," she replied nonchalantly, playing with her cards. Presea knew that meant it was either early morning or late night. Sheena was always the last one to go to bed and the first one to wake up. _That's how it is in Mizuho_, she'd say.

"So...is it still night or is it morning?" Presea asked.

"It's morning, don't worry," she reassured them. "Presea, you must've been really tired. You slept a long time," the summoner added. Presea nodded.

"I had a few nightmares..."

"Oh."

They stood (or in Sheena's case, sat) in silence for a few moments before Genis broke the ice.

"Lets get some breakfast in here! I'm starving," he declared. Sheena laughed and Presea let out a small chuckle. Both the half elf and the ninja turned to stare at her. _Did I do something wrong?_ she wondered.

"Presea...I've never heard you laugh before," Sheena said, gawking. _Ah. So that's why they were looking at me funny,_ she thought.

"Y-you're...even cuter when you laugh," Genis added shyly. Presea smiled.

"I suppose my emotions are...returning," she said. Presea and Genis joined Sheena at the table while waiting for their breakfast to come. The inn in Flanoir was particuarly nice.

The next person to come down the stairs was Lloyd, followed by Colette. Those two were inseparable these days. Lloyd's desire to protect her and Colette's to be near him just seemed to keep them attached at the hip. Raine, Regal, and Zelos came down shortly after, and soon everyone was awake with full bellies. They set off again, this time for the temple of darkness.

Okay so this chapter was a little short, but I was having some writer's block. Thanks for reading, review if you can, which I hope you be able to because it only really requires fingers to type it with. See ya,

BE


	6. Chapter Six: Shadow

Man, this guy is tough," Lloyd grumbled during their fight against Shadow, summon spirit of Darkness. They attacked him relentlessly, but he didn't seem to be slowing down. Raine whipped out a magic lens, her eyes widening.

"Whoa, he is certainly strong," she declared. "However, he is taking large amounts of damage. We can do this." Presea slammed her axe down for what seemed like the hundredth time. Breathing heavy with scrapes all over, she charged the monster.

"Beast!"

"Pyre Seal!"

"Thunder Blade!"

"Tempest!"

"Holy Song!"

"Revitalize!"

The sound of magic and clinking weapons resonated around the room. Presea glanced back at Genis. His kendama was flailing while a magic circle surrounded him. His eyes snapped open.

"Dreaded Wave!" he yelled. Shadow took a good blow, and Presea resumed the fight. The group broke into a unison attack, and when it was Presea's turn she had no hesitation. Genis and Presea exchanged a look when they realized they just made a combo.

"Lightning Punishment!" They shouted together. Presea swung her axe in multiple circles while Genis surrounded her and Shadow in a tornado of lightning. The spirit took an enormous amount of damage, staggering back.

"Die," Presea said calmly before delivering the final blow. Everyone immediately relaxed after such a difficult battle.

"Make...your...vow," Shadow said. While Sheena stated her promise Presea leaned on her axe, exhausted. Genis walked over to her and let her lean on him instead. He hadn't taken as many hits as she had because he always stayed in the back to cast while Presea was in the thick of the fight. She was tough but not invincible, which Genis could tell no matter what facade she put up. He kissed her head softly, relieved that no one had been severely injured during this battle. Presea was beginning to enjoy these new feelings that she was developing. The warm and fuzzy feeling she got around Genis was quite nice, and she had discovered some not so nice ones as well. She hated the feeling of despair, and even though anger gave her even more strength, it was not a pleasant emotion. Fear was one she couldn't figure out. Presea knew of types of fears, like the fear of spiders, storms, people, ect. However, those things didn't scare her one bit. She was never scared...or was she? Her nightmares...Genis...her sister...realization struck Presea._ My one fear is losing my loved ones,_ she thought. With this new knowledge, she relaxed into Genis, wanted to drive the newly fear-induced thoughts out of her brain. _He's here,_ she thought, _And he always will be._ The group turned to exit the temple after successfully breaking yet another seal. They jumped on their rheairds to go to the nearest inn and rest after such an exhausting day. Presea and Genis slept together, as it was becoming a habit with the two. It made Genis happy and Presea could finally keep the awful nightmares away. Tonight, however, something different occurred that had not before. Instead of going right to sleep, Presea turned to talk to Genis.

"Genis?" she whispered.

"Mm?" he mumbled, opening his eyes. The two were lying next to each other on their sides, their faces mere inches apart.

"What scares you?" Presea asked softly. Genis laughed quietly.

"I'm a coward, so a lot of things scare me. I don't know if I can even name them all," he whispered with a smile.

"Try," Presea prompted.

"Fine...don't laugh," Genis sighed. Presea's faced remained still and serious, as if laughing would have never ever crossed her mind had he not said that. "I'm frightened of monsters, pain, rejection, spiders, and Raine," he added with a smirk. Presea's face turned into one of confusion.

"Why would you be scared of such things? You kill monsters all the time, you took the pain of those stitches, you told me you loved me even though you could have gotten rejected, I've never seem you jump at a spider, and, well, Raine is quite frightening," Presea told him. Genis smiled.

"I don't know, I just hide my fear most of the time," the half elf said with downcast eyes. Presea reached out a hand to stroke his silvery hair in a gesture of comfort. Genis closed his eyes and a tear slid out.

"Why are you crying?" Presea asked, starting to feel sadness at the sight of his sorrow.

"Because...I didn't mention my biggest fear," he answered quietly.

"And that is..." Presea pried gently.

"Losing you, Presea," he whispered, barely audible. The small pink-haired girl was taken slightly aback by his answer, and slid closer to give him a hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around his back, leaving no space in between the two.

"I won't ever leave you, Genis, because I love you," she muttered into his chest. Genis took a hand ad softly lifted her head from his shirt, forcing her to look into his watery eyes.

"I love you too, Presea," he whispered. Their lips met, moving in sync. First gentle and slow, then faster and more harsh. Presea had never felt this before. It was a hunger...a desire for something more. _Perhaps...this is lust?_ she wondered. Zelos knew all about lust, but she wasn't sure she wanted to ask him to find out. For now, she would just enjoy the moment of Genis' lips on hers. She was not familiar with this type of kissing, but Presea let her senses take over and relaxed. They kissed quite rapidly with a need for each other, pulling each other as close as they could. Presea's breathing became ragged, and soon she was panting. Presea knew they had to break this kiss at one point. She slowly pulled back and opened her eyes, watching Genis do the same.

"I love you so much," he mumbled to her. Genis began to stroke her head, running his fingers through her thick pink hair and she snuggled into him.

"Tomorrow, Presea, let's go walk around town, see the shops," Genis suggested.

"Yes...I would like that," she whispered. With the comfort of each other settled deep in their hearts, they both drifted off to sleep.

Sorry I had a little bit of a wait for this chapter, but I didn't have much time to write. Looking back at this chapter...geez, my skills at writing kissing scenes sucked. Sorry about that, they are better later. I think. I'm only 12, it's not like I've ever kissed anyone XD Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter, so please review or Presea may come after you with her axe. Don't say I didn't warn you.

BE


	7. Chapter Seven: A Stroll Around Town

**Yayz! Someone reviewed! Even if it was one person. Okay! I shall reply now**

**ChaoticChris: *blinks profusely, then rubs eyes vigorously* It can't be...can't it? My eyes do not fool me, do they?! By jove, it IS an extremely-super long review by a fellow Gesea fan! I have to agree in the sense that chapter fics are indeed like, well, like you said, a revitalize spell from Raine! I am really happy you like my story! I had it on another site originally, but I found this and realized that since no one on the other site knew what ToS was. So, seeing the small numbers on this site, I uploaded! And may I say, it feels quite lovely to know that you are as big a Gesea supporter as well! By the way, thanks for the welcome. Yes, I see as I have begun to read other Gesea fics that they are all about her overcoming her own emotions. However, I will say this: mine jumps around a bit. It's more about them overcoming things that try and get i between their relationship, like injuries or emotional issues, and them trying to overcome that. I only say it jumps around a bit because there are many challenges to be faced, and they don't normally link together. Thanks you, though, for the compliment on my non-predictabliltyness:) You do not sound pathetic in any way, i will reassure you, instead you are just boosting my determination to do this fic! I as well hope these Gesea fics return someday, oh, what a beautiful day that will be. Also, jumping back a bit, it's funny you were 12 when you played it, because I am 12, and I just found these games because my dad played them. Needless to say, I got a little obsessed. Anyways, it's so very refreshing to hear someone who loves Gesea give me such a glowing review, and I'm sorry I took up so much of this chapter space to reply. Quick disclaimer, and I will go away XD**

**Me no own ToS. Read now.**

In the morning, Genis annoucned to everyone that him and Presea would be gone for a little bit because they were going on a walk around the town. The rest of the group acknowledged them and went back to their breakfasts, their intial interest in the couple gone. Genis nudged his girlfriend and they rose from the table without anyone else even looking up. Presea made to grab her axe, but Genis grabbed her hand.

"What are you doing?" he asked her quietly. She stared back at him, confused.

"I am taking my axe," she replied simply, as if he were a small child.

"You don't need to take your axe around town, Presea," he laughed. Her mouth stretched into a tiny smile.

"You're right...I am sorry. May I take my dagger, just in case?" She pleaded.

"Don't be sorry, first of all. And if it makes you happy, fine. I'm taking my kendama just because, well, I'm scared of what Lloyd will do to it when I'm not around," he confessed with a smile. Genis opened the door for her and they stepped out into the bright sun. Presea tilted her head up to the sky and smiled widely. He tried not to gawk at her, but she was so beautiful. She had a perfect complexion of flawless pale pink skin. Her cruxis crystal glittered at the base of her neck and her spiked pink pigtails looked so vibrant in the morning sun. Presea's rosy lips framed her white teeth as she grinned, and her bright blue eyes shone with excitement. Genis couldn't believe she was...his. He linked arms with his girlfriend and they walked leisurely to the flower shop. Presea had seen very few flowers, and the ones she had seen had been withered and dead. The small ax-girl's eyes were wide as she took in all the colors.

"Genis, these one's are so red! And they smell so nice," she told him while pointing to the roses. Genis smiled. I want to make her this happy every day, he thought.

"Oh! These one's are all different colors and shapes," she declared with a smile, staring at a bouquet. When her back was turned, Genis slipped the florist some gald and selected a single red rose. He wanted to present it to her later. After they had finished looking around the flower shop, Presea literally dragged him to the weapons store (she thought he was too slow).

"May I have a look at your axes?" she asked politely. The shopkeeper snorted.

"Sorry little miss, but I'm afraid we don't carry any toy axes," he snickered. Presea tilted her head to the side, not understanding his comment. Genis, however, understood it just fine.

"The full sized ones are fine," he seethed through clenched teeth. The shopkeeper just shrugged and laughed before dissapearing into the back room. Genis slung his arm over Presea's shoulder while they waited. In a few moments, the large man came back out with an enormous axe. Presea took it from him and gripped the end of the handle, holding it straight out. The shopkeeper's jaw dropped and his eyes bugged.

"Nice weight," she declared. Presea brought the blade end closer to her face and inspected it, running her fingers lightly along the edge.

"It's sharper than mine, and the metal is better quality," she told Genis. Turning her attention back to the gawking shopkeeper, she flipped the axe so the blade touched the ground and she was holding the handle. The top of the handle was over her head, and the end of the blade was at her waist. Genis felt smug at the shopkeeper's expression.

"I'll have this one," Presea said to the shopkeeper. As she dropped the gald on the counter, the burly man didn't even blink. He still hadn't even closed his mouth. This just creeped Presea out a bit, and she pressed against Genis with her axe in the opposite hand. They walked rather quickly and when they were outside, Genis burst out laughing.

"What was wrong with that man? Why are you laughing?" she asked, cocking her head to the side slightly. It's adorable how she tilts her head when she's confused, he thought. Genis finally caught his breath and answered.

"He thought you were a child looking for toys, but you sure proved him wrong! Did you see his face?" Genis replied, laughing all over again. Presea smiled a small bit.

"Perhaps he has never heard the expression, 'Never judge a book by its cover,'" she suggested. The silver-haired boy just grinned and grabbed her hand.

"Where to next?" he asked. Presea pointed to a large church.

"Why a church?" Genis asked.

"Colette says they are beautiful, and I think for us to survive this journey we will need many blessings from Martel," she replied. The couple walked across the street to the church, but Genis stopped her before she entered.

"I don't think you can bring your axe in there," he said. Presea nodded slowly.

"Yes, let me try something I've been working on," she responded. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her hands around the handle of the large weapon. After a few seconds, the axe disappeared. Genis jumped back a bit.

"Whoa! And you can summon it back too?" he asked in wonder. Presea smiled and nodded before grabbing his hand and leading him inside the church. The building was decorated in numerous stained glass windows and mosiacs, with statues all around the room. The priest stood at the front altar, praying in front of a statue of Martel. Presea and Genis took at seat at a pew and bowed their heads. Oh Martel, he prayed, Allow me to be with Presea always. Let her regain her happiness and lost time. Also, I pray that you watch over our group on the jouney to reunite the two worlds. The two sat like that for a while, before Presea lifted her head and suggested they return to the inn to rejoin their group. Before entering the inn, Genis remembered the rose he had in this jacket.

"Presea..." he said, stopping a few paces away from the door. She looked back and walked over to him.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Do you remember those red flowers back at the floral shop?" he questioned her. She smiled.

"Yes, I believe they were called roses. They were lovely and smelled delightful," Presea replied.

"Do you know what they represent?" he asked, getting closer to the point of his reveal.

"Roses, the symbol of a strong bond, namely love," she recited sounding vaguely like a robot. Genis' face spread into a large grin.

"Yeah, and you know I love you so..." he pulled out the delicate flower and she gasped.

"Oh! It's beautiful! Thank you, Genis!" she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug which he immediatly returned.

"And you know I love you," she added softly. The pink-haired girl pulled back and joined their lips together for a lingering kiss. Genis didn't care if people watched, he only cared about her. She was his universe. They broke apart and he handed her the rose, which she gripped with two hands before bringing it to her nose.

"Thank you," she said again, savoring the sweet scent. The two entered the inn, prepared for whatever challenge the group would be facing next.

Okay, so I'm sorry about the short-ish chapters but this one was supposed to be really long...and then after I typed it it got deleted. So the second time around I had to shorten it if I wanted to get something up for you guys to read:) Reviews are appreciated oh-so-much, and literally make my week. Bye for now,

BE


	8. Chapter Eight: The Pain

**Hmm...conspicuous chapter name? Perhaps. However, I doubt you will see what comes next. Poor Presea...I like drama a bit too much and she's the main character...oh well. She'll get over it:)**

**Presea: Thank you for asking.**

**Anyways, I must reply to my amazing reviewer!**

**AnriMia24: Wow...thank you so much! It's because of people like you that inspire me to continue this story:) I'm so glad you like it! I also really appreciate the feedback, emotions are the one thing I strive to get across and it makes me feel good to know that you believe I've done a decent job! Thanks again for the faithful reviewing:) Okay, disclaimer time!**

**I, sadly, must face the fact that I do not own ToS and probably never will...Namco will always have the rights over it. Phooey. **

**Oo I figured out how to make a border that works! Finally.**

**~•~•~•~•~•~•~•**

Presea walked in time with the group as they traveled to the place where the rheairds were sitting and flew to Flanoir for the third time. Members of the group had declared they wanted to pick up some Black Onyx and Moonstone that were only sold in that particular city. When they got within two miles of the city, the group landed after Lloyd suggested they do some walking. They trudged through the cold snow, keeping an eye out for monsters. All of a sudden, Presea fell to her knees in the snow while clutching chest, her face contorted from the unpleasant sensation. After bowing her head she collapsed, writhing in pain.

"Ahhhhh!" she screamed into the snow. Genis ran over to her, trying to lift her face.

"Presea? Presea! What's wrong?!" Genis yelled. Everyone had halted their walk and surrounded her. The little ax-girl kept shrieking, with no one knowing what the cause of the pain was. It...burns! she thought, while trying to calm her own screams.

"Presea, what's wrong?" Raine asked hurriedly. Whatever Presea's condition was, it wasn't good. Presea tried to lift her head, and after a great struggle she got it up high enough to look at Genis, whose eyes were shining with tears.

"Help...me.."she choked before more screams tore from her throat. Genis put his arm over her, trying to help but not knowing how.

"Raine! What do we do?" Colette asked in horror.

"Get her to Flanoir's doctor! She needs medical attention," Raine shouted. Genis cradled the tortured girl, noticing something unusual. Her normally red cruxis crystal was glowing black, and when Genis tried to touch it it burned him.

"This is not good," he muttered to himself, tears leaking. Her pain was his pain, and he felt so much right now.

"Shh, shh," Genis whispered, trying calming the screaming girl in his arms. He stroked her pink hair in a gesture of comfort, but Presea kept yelling. It was then he noticed it. Deep gashes were forming along her neck and chest where her cruxis crystal sat. The blood began to run down her dress and onto Genis' arms, soaking the both of them.

"Raine!" he cried. Genis saw his sister's eyes widen and knew she was terrified.

"Hang on Presea," Genis pleaded. Her normally expressionless face was contorted in pain, with her mouth wide open for her to draw in ragged breaths between screams. Presea was shaking so bad, and more gashes appeared on her, growing deeper. The half elf began to panic, his breath quickening. Not caring if the group didn't follow, he sprinted for Flanoir and through the city until he reached the doctor. Many people were surprised and angry at his rude shoving until they saw the crumpled girl in his arms. As he burst through the doctor's doors to the examination room, the group followed maybe two seconds behind. The doctor's eyes widened at the sight of Presea.

"You have to help her," Genis sobbed.

"Please," Regal added. Even the light-hearted Zelos wore a dark expression.

"All right, but you people can't be in here while I work. She requires major medical attention," the doctor said quickly. Presea's foggy mind was only aware of the pain tearing from her chest and hardly noticed when she was set down on a table. Genis and the others were shooed from the room and left to worry. As the doors closed and they sat in the waiting room, Genis could still make out Presea's anguished screams. Please, please be okay, he prayed. He wanted to go take her pain for her, he wanted to make her happy. However, Genis knew that there was no way he could help her right now. Hour after hour ticked by, and many members of the group drifted off to sleep. Soon the only people left awake were Colette and Genis. Genis had some fresh tears rolling silently down his cheeks and Colette played with a chakram. Looking over, Colette noticed Genis crying and motioned for him to come sit with her.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Genis shook his head.

"No, I'm too worried about her." The screams had subdued, but you could hear her loud sobs through the door.

"It must be so painful," he thought aloud, and Colette nodded sympathetically.

"I'm worried about her too, Genis. I hope she's alright. I've been praying non-stop," Colette admitted.

"Thank you," Genis told her sincerely. The blonde angel just smiled.

"No problem," she whispered while waving her hand in a gesture of dismissal.

"Hey Colette?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, Genis." The silver-haired half elf sighed, prepared to begin his confession-like story.

"Well...I think that a lot of people think I'm too young to know what love is. The kind of romantic love, that is. i have love for Raine as a sister and you guys as friends, but Presea is different. I don't just like her...it's like I wouldn't be able to live without her. If she's in pain, I'm in pain. She cries, I cry. I'm happy that she's regaining her emotions because...she can share these feelings with me now. So, what I'm trying to say is...I just don't know what I'll do if she doesn't make it through this," he blurted, warm tears prickling his eyes yet again. Genis wrapped his arms around his knees while Colette rubbed his back soothingly.

"I'm sorry Genis. I really am. I'm sure she'll be okay, though, just like you were," Colette smiled cheerily. Genis wiped his eyes and sniffled.

"I guess you're right," he mumbled. Even so, he never went to sleep, although Colette did eventually. After what seemed like decades, the door leading to the doctor's work area creaked open. Genis jolted upright when the doctor appeared.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Your friend will be alright. Her wounds were from a freak reaction from that crystal of hers. I have fixed them up and stopped the bleeding, however she may be in some pain for a few days. She should probably take it easy. Right now she's resting, but you may see her as long as you don't disturb her. Her clothes were blood-soaked so they are being washed and will be delivered to her shortly," the doctor announced. Genis could've hugged the man.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Genis exclaimed. He paid the doctor generously and flew over to the room to see Presea. She looked paler than normal, with white bandages circling her chest and lower neck peeking out from under the covers. Her soft face was no longer twisted in pain, but looked content at last. Genis did notice, however, that a little hole had been burned where the crystal was, allowing it to peek through the bandages. It was back to red, which was a relief. Presea stirred slightly, and her eyes began to flutter.

"G...Genis?" she struggled to get out. He walked over and grabbed her hand gently.

"I'm here, I'm here," he whispered soothingly. Presea's eyes closed and she drifted quickly back to sleep, this time with a smile on her face.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

**Like I said before, I like drama a bit too much:) Sorry if at this point there's a lot of stuff going on, later it calms down and lets the classic plot unravel a bit. Trust me, I already wrote it XD I know I should be pumping out chapters like seven a day, because they are already written, but the matter of transferring it has become an issue. My laptop isn't working, so I have to try and do this on my iPod, which is frustrating to say the least. Anyways, sorry about slowness and thank you for read! I hope you liked it, and reviews are more than welcome. Goodbye for now,**

**BE**


	9. Chapter Nine: Presea in Denial

**It's my time now! :D Alright, first I'll start by replying to reviews (or review, whatever)**

**ChaoticChris: Why thank you:) As for Raine...I realized late into my story, like chapter 12, that I never really had her in there for getting in the middle of the relationship, because she definitely would not approve of things like the two sleeping together. Unfortunately, (sorry if this disappointed you, it straight up killed me XD) since I forgot, I just let them sleep together and all this romantic, gooey jazz without a care in the world for Raine. Whups. However, she does appear in around...chapter 15, I think? Commenting a little on the relationship with Presea and her brother. So yeah, sorry about that XD Also, adding that you don't have to rush to read and review, although it is appreciated immensely :) I read yours really fast just because it was so good! as for my reviewing, well, I figured I might as well be faithful and all because what author doesn't like reviews? ;) Sorry if I got a little jumpy, my 12 (soon to be 13) year old mind gets out of control at a great Gesea fic. For anyone who hasn't read her story, The Hourglass Effect, you should. It's amazing:) Okay, disclaimer!**

**Raine: Well, seeing how you FORGOT ABOUT ME in every which way, I might as well do this.**

**BE: Eheheh...sorry about that.**

**Raine: *sighs* Preteens...ahem. BlackEyes7 does not own Tales of Symphonia, Namco does. You know, the people that remembered to include me in the plot. **

**BE: I SAID I WAS SORRY. Alright little readers, do your thing now**

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Presea heard someone enter the room. Her mind was only vaguely aware of the dull pain, and she was straining to open her eyes. They fluttered slightly, and she caught a glimpse of the visitor.

"G...Genis?" she choked out. Presea was forcing herself to keep her eyes open the tiniest bit, no matter how challenging. He grabbed her hand.

"I'm here, I'm here," he whispered. As a smile spread slowly across her face, she let her eyelids droop and slipped into a blissful sleep. When she woke, her head ached and her chest stung. Squinting her eyes from the bright light filling the room, she observed her pristine white surroundings. I must be in the doctor's office at Flanoir, she concluded. Rolling her head to the side, she saw a familiar figure sitting in the corner. It seemed like a young boy with silver hair and blue clothes...Genis. She smiled knowing he had stayed with her the whole night. He's such a good boyfriend, she thought, sighing. Then she spotted her clothes laying on the table. Wait...if those are my clothes then what am I wearing? she wondered, very self-concious. Looking down with horror, she realized she was in nothing but her undergarments. Fortunately, the sheets covered her body. She smelled many medicinal ointments and herbs, most of which were coming from her. Underneath her bandages she suspected were countless combinations of creams, ointments, herbs, and medicines. She feared there may be a few stitches as well. Presea decided to get up and change into her normal clothes, but before she even sat all the way up she gasped and grabbed her side, gritting her teeth from pain. It hurts to even breathe, she noticed. Propping herself up with one arm and clutching her side with the other, Presea made her way out of the bed. She drew breaths rapidly, unable to catch her breath. When Presea reached the table with her clothes, her vision went fuzzy and the pain got unbearable. She gripped the table tightly with one hand, trying to keep herself up. However, she was overwhelmed with pain. The pink-haired girl squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, trying not to scream. Her grip on the table slacked, and she collapsed on the ground with blackness closing in around her.

***switch to Genis' POV...kind of. You'll see what I mean:)******

Genis jolted awake when he heard a small thud on the ground. Looking around the room, he realized that Presea was no longer in her bed. His blood went cold. Where could she have gone? She's in no condition to move! he thought worriedly. As he rose from his corner, he saw a crumpled mass of a girl on the ground.

"P...Presea?" he asked, fearing what would happen if she didn't respond. She didn't. Panic rising in his chest, Genis checked her pulse. It was still throbbing strongly, and he let out a sigh of relief. What was she doing out here? he wondered. Scooping her up he laid her back on the bed without any covers. The poor girl was still in her undergarments, and Genis blushed slightly. They didn't reveal anything besides a flat stomach and tiny, but shapely, legs. Thoughts crossed Genis' mind that he immediately shooed away, knowing he was too young. Her long flowing pink hair was spread out around her, giving her an innocent air. A blushing Genis retrieved her clothes and dressed her, trying to keep his thoughts under control. Her bandages emitted a pungent oder and had splotches of red that he hadn't noticed last night. Presea's face was no longer smooth either, but was twisted as if in pain. Her eyebrows were drawn together forming many wrinkles, and her eyes appeared to be slightly squeezed shut. Genis left off her gloves and didn't tie her hair up, though he did brush it. Presea's hair was as smooth as it looked, which is to say extremely smooth. Then, he tucked her back in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You'll be okay," he whispered. "Because I love you too much to let you go." Genis walked back outside to the waiting room to see who was awake, and was surprised to see that most people were up.

"How's she doing?" Lloyd asked with Colette attached tightly onto his arm.

"She's...um...better. Not totally okay though," he replied tentatively. Sheena raised an eyebrow.

"What you mean?" she probed. Genis sighed.

"I mean, I found her collapsed this morning on the floor and I don't know why! Heck, I don't know why any of this happened! Why did her cruxis crystal react that way? Why did she end up on the ground? Why?" he snapped. Everyone was taken aback by his tone, and Raine stepped forward.

"Genis, calm down. I'm sure it will be alright, and you shouldn't take out your anger on your teammates, got it?" the professor scolded. Genis hung his head.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. Zelos snickered.

"Yeah, because the little guy's little girl is sleeping without him, oh my!" he said with mock shock. Genis clenched his fists, but luckily Sheena took care of it.

"You idiot Chosen! When do you ever shut up?" she yelled, kicking him in the stomach.

"Ah!" Zelos yelled in surprise. "Yeesh, someone needs to lay off the Angry Banshee pills!" Sheena snapped her head around.

"What did you just say?" she asked, daring him to repeat the question.

"Uh-oh, ahh!" Tetha'alla's chosen yelled as he ran from the female ninja. Normally Genis would have been laughing, but instead he let a tear or two slip. Raine came over and rubbed his back soothingly, knowing there was really nothing else she could do. Genis' tears fell freely with no sound, hitting the wood floors softly.

"You really do love her, don't you?" Raine asked, almost inaudible. Genis nodded. Lloyd walked over and punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, cheer up! I'm sure Presea will be absolutely fine," Lloyd said, clapping him on the back. Colette smiled brightly.

"Yeah! Presea is really strong. I'm sure she'll be feeling better in no time!" she chimed. Genis smiled a bit.

"Thanks, guys," he said, wiping his eyes. They both grinned. As they walked away, Raine went back to her quiet talk with her brother.

"Will you ever want anyone else?" she asked. Genis shook his head vigorously.

"And you want to spend the rest of your life with her?" This time Genis nodded.

"And what would you do if she was gone?" Raine asked.

"I...I don't know how I'd survive," Genis confessed in a raspy voice. Raine nodded.

"Fine then, I know I'd often told you that you could not love this young...but I stand corrected. You care more for Presea than I initially realized, and I will accept that. Although, don't forget about me, okay?" she added with a smile that the young mage returned.

"Okay."

All of a sudden, the doors to the doctor's room swung open with a bang, and Presea stood in the doorframe. She was leaning heavily against the wall, and it seemed as if she was barely staying conscious. Her loose hair flowed around her like a thin, pink cloak. She grasped her chest, gritting her teeth together in pain. Her clear blue eyes shone with tears, and a tiny, high pitched, strangled scream escaped her lips.

"G..Genis," she choked. New blotches of red began to blossom, along the visible areas of her bandages, and Genis stared at her, unable to move.

"Presea!" he cried, "What are you doing? You shouldn't be getting out of bed!" Her eyes were squeezed shut, as if opening them would hurt. The hand that was already grasping her chest tightened, and her breathing was ragged. With an obvious amount of effort, she opened her eyes slightly.

"I...I needed...to-" Her phrase was never finished as she slumped to the ground. Genis rushed over to her, holding one slack hand in his.

"Raine!" he called, willing his voice to stay steady. She's okay, she's okay, he repeated over and over again to himself. The professor rushed over and observed the small girl.

"I doubt the doctor knew much about cruxis crystals and didn't really resolve the issue deep down. I'll give it a shot though. Everyone stand back!" she yelled. "Healing Circle!" A small, bright circle of light and symbols appeared beneath Presea, and a soft moan left her mouth. Genis grinned widely.

"Thank you Raine!" he exclaimed, feeling Presea's forehead.

"Is she well?" Regal asked, his voice laced with concern. She didn't look amazing, but her forehead wasn't burning up like earlier. At first Genis thought he imagined it, but he soon realized that Presea's facial features were twitching. First her eyes, then her eyesbrows, then her tiny nose. After blinking a few times her eyes opened, but she did not leave the floor.

"Genis?" she asked.

"What were you doing out here? You are not well," he scolded her.

"I...I was just trying to talk to you. And I am fine, you all mustn't worry," she told them. However, as she tried to sit up Presea winced badly. Raine came over and eased her back down.

"Presea, perhaps you shouldn't move. You must be in a lot of pain...what could have caused this reaction in your cruxis crystal?" Raine wondered aloud.

"Raine, I appreciate the concern. However, I am fine. Pain is not unfamiliar to me," Presea stated, but was contradicted a few seconds later by a small scream she bit off quickly.

"Don't be dumb. You're in denial, Presea. Even an idiot like Zelos knows when he needs to take it easy. Please, for me?" Genis pleaded. Sheena snickered as Zelos protested harshly. Presea nodded slowly.

"For you, Genis," she agreed before shutting her eyes. The young half elf scooped her up bridal style while everyone stared at him. Presea's long pink hair spilled over and onto the ground , as it was not in pigtails currently. When she was missing her boots, gloves, weapons, and traditional hair, she looked more...vulnerable. Genis would have found it cute, had she not been deathly ill. He went back into her room and laid the persistent girl down for the second time. As he came back out, Sheena shook her head.

"Man, that girl is more stubborn than Lloyd," she declared.

"Hey!" Lloyd protested.

"What's up with the insults today? First you attack me, then Lloyd! Seriously wouldn't hurt to let be nice to me once in a while!" Zelos complained. Sheena's eyes turned to ice-cold slits.

"Yeah, well it wouldn't hurt for you to stop calling me your hunny, the greatest insult of all," Sheena declared. The two got off to yet another argument, as usual. Colette sighed and leaned against Lloyd, and Genis decided he'd go back and watch over Presea. After Genis had closed the door, he made sure that no one else was in the room. The mage then walked over to Presea's bed and knelt by the side. Oh Martel, please allow Presea to heal quickly and fully, she means everything to me, he prayed. After he stood up and looked at her sleeping face, and he sighed. Bringing his face mere centimeters away from hers, he spoke.

"You are perfect," he whispered, and softly kissed her. The tiny girl didn't even stir. He sat back down in his corner and continued to watch his girlfriend, incase she decided to do anything else stupid.

**~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~**

**End of chapter:) okay so a couple things: **

**1. Well I was mistaken about my previous note about Raine not showing up, but I'm too lazy to fix it. However, incase you're thinking all "Pshh Raine would never say that! She would never accept it!" I now remember why I included that. Raine, at one point in the original ToS, hinted that she was no longer a virgin. That means she has to understand love in some prospect. If you are thinking that may make her more suspicious, take a step back. She knows Presea at least, and I don't think even Raine would suspect her of being that type. I also believe Raine would be accepting of at least some of her brothers more serious decisions, especially in his own love life. Make sense? ...No? Oh whatever, I wrote this a while ago.**

**2. It just now dawned on me...was her crystal an exsphere of cruxis crystal? I always reference to it as a cruxis crystal, but am I wrong? Sorry if I am, you'll just have to bear with it when I write this story.**

**3. Sorry about the chappy length...they'll get longer, promise.**

**4. As always, please review! Thank you again ChaoticChris, means a lot to have a fellow Gesea fan analyze my story XD**

**Bye bye now!**

**BE**


	10. Chapter Ten: Altessa

**Time for reviews! They. come. first.**

**ChaoticChris: GAH! Where do I start? XD First, thank you so much for reviewing!:D Second...darn it back to square one XD I'll just start from your least recent review. Haha, see, I'm happy you got it! My brother likes to play as Lloyd too, but I was hoping someone would sympathize like you did that Genis killed himself in the game a LOT like that. Gah! (again.) I have already mentioned that I have written this book up to chapter 24 already, it's just a matter of transferring it. However...with your ideas I might just end up rewriting the whole book! XD I thought of it that way a little, that he was trying to play hero. The only thing is (sorry to disappoint) that I did not incorporate that to play a big role, grrrr but I should have! Meh. Where were you when I wrote this the first time? XD Ah yes, Presea's insecurities do play a large role in this story, perhaps because I have too much fun with them*smiles evilly* Holy cow...that was only for one review. I'll try and be more concise now. Yes, I am quite squeemish as well for those kinds of scenes. Darn my brain, why didn't I make him thank her?! *facepalm* Oh, and thanks for complimenting the way I had Sheena use her cards:) Also, for the kissing stuff, yeah you're right, I've always thought as Genis and Presea as really conservative, like they wouldn't do mature kissing or anything. Like I've said, I wrote this point in the story a long long time ago, and I probably ate some bad carrots or something that night. And all the other nights I wrote about more "intense" kissing. I'll edit that out later. So bottom line is, I guess I will be semi-rewriting this story. Thanks again for the reviews, your input is always worth listening to XD And to think, I had this whole thing, this whole chapter finished and you reviewed again so I had to come back and add more. XD Yay, you caught the thing about Genis' kendama! Oh, those were my favorite of the skits :D good to know someone remembers 'em! Actually, I got a mini-kendama for christmas (the tiny ones are mainly skill games not weapons) and let me tell you, it is HARD. Genis is freaking talented. Wow, you don't review much? I FEEL SPECIAL :) You definitely have encouraged me to continue uploading, I was gonna end it. Hehe no actually, my dad played it and one day during the summer I was digging around and found the old ToS, and of course I was instantly hooked. Also...omg. Best advice of my life, thank you! I'm often very insecure about what I write, so that actually got to me a little :) I really need to PM you, because I have some ideas for later that I wasn't sure I'd post, and you obviously know what you're doing so you might be able to help me renovate them! As for Presea's cruxis crystal, I kinda thought of Lloyd's key crest of more of an amateur work of art, because I'm pretty sure it revealed that he worked really hard on it, which is what made it possible to be made, but it was still a little flawed in ways, so I like testing just how "safe" the "safe barrier" is. Just my thoughts. :) Geez, you better feel special I just used up like half this story time replying. Sorry reader I do not know that had to read that. Or skip it, doesn't matter. Disclaimer time! **

**Genis: Oh! Pick me! I'll do it!**

**BE: *sigh* Well, alright the-**

**Genis: YESSS! BlackEyes7 is definitely not the owner of ToS, it's Namco! They are amazing, because they make me a STAR. Quick thing though, don't eat anymore bad carrots. **

**BE: Meh. Geseaness is Geseaness, bad carrot influenced or not.**

**~•~•~•~•~•~•~**

Genis stared dully at the bed in which Presea slept. Concern for her and confusion kept him from falling asleep or even leaving the room. Everyone else was walking around the town for fresh air and supplies. After he had wrapped his arms around his knees he buried his face. Questions bounced endlessly around his head. Why did her cruxis crystal react like this? Why isn't she better yet? Why is this happening to her? Why do her wounds reopen with any physical effort? Genis sighed, knowing he wouldn't get any answers until she was better. Faintly, Genis heard the sheets brushing together. He stood up and walked over to Presea's bed. She must have been turning onto her side, he thought.

"Genis," she mumbled, eyes closed. The silver-haired boy's attention was immediately caught.

"Yes?" he replied softly.

"You can't leave me alone...why can't we be together?" Presea murmured. Genis was confused and almost responded before he figured out she must be talking in her sleep.

"I'm not a monster...I love you...don't leave me," she said, louder this time. Presea sounded close to tears, and Genis didn't know whether to wake her up or let it pass.

"G..Genis! Come back! Don't leave me all alone again!" she shouted. Genis himself was extremely scared and knew this must be a terrible nightmare. He grabbed both of her shoulders and shook her harshly.

"Presea! Wake up!" he cried. Her eyes snapped open and she screamed, jolting upright in her bed and looking around frantically.

"Genis? Genis!" she yelled. He grabbed both sides of her face and forced her to look at him. Presea was shaking violently and her blue eyes were cloudy and full of fear. She was breathing heavy as well.

"I'm here, I'm here! Shh, it's okay," he cooed. Tears began to stream down her face, and she placed her hands on top of Genis'.

"Genis...it...it...it was...horrible!" she cried in between sobs. The mage released her face and she dropped her head to her knees, crying. Genis sat beside her with his legs dangling off the bed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shh...shh...calm down. It was only a dream," he whispered in her ear. Her sobs reduced to hiccups and she lifted her face. Genis wiped away her tears and Presea sniffled, staring directly into his eyes.

"Tell me, what was your dream about?" he asked gently. She took a deep breath before beginning.

"Well...I was in a forest chopping trees like I used to before you guys returned me to my true self. Except this time, I was my true self, and you appeared. I called out your name, but you just stood there, emotionless. You told me...you told me we couldn't be together because I was a monster. A person who had been lost in time, a little girl with abnormal strength. Then...then you left, and I chased you and told you I loved you. However, I..I never found you, and you never came back," she finished, tears returning.

"Shh, don't cry, it was only a dream. It's not your fault you are this way, and if you hadn't been lost in time I would have never met you. Possibly it was fate. I would never leave you, Presea. I'm here right now at this moment, so just relax and let go of that nightmare," he said. Presea's tears gradually stopped flowing and she looked up at him.

"Thank you, Genis," she whispered sincerely. He kissed her gently, and she kissed back just as soft. They both broke it with no blushes or averted eyes, just sincere emotion. Genis moved his hand to her cruxis crystal that sat in between the base of her neck and chest.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, remembering her earlier episodes. She shook her head.

"Not as much as before. I can sit up now, see? Before it hurt very much. I think the medicine is starting to work," she told him.

"Good," Genis replied with a smile.

"Genis, I do not wish to return to sleep. Perhaps you could help me walk a little? Or at least let me see how much strength I have at the moment," she bargained. The half elf sighed.

"Alright," he agreed. Presea smiled and he hopped out of the bed, offering her his hand. She took it and put one foot on the ground. Genis held his breath, ready to catch her if she fell. Presea put the other foot on the ground and took a slightly unsteady step.

"You okay?" he asked, concerned. Presea nodded. She took step after step, until Genis finally let go of her.

"Does it hurt at all?" Genis prodded, hoping she would be honest.

"Not much, I will be okay. Where are the others?" she probed.

"Taking a walk around town," Genis said. She nodded.

"May we join them?" Presea asked, looking up to see his face.

"Sure," he shrugged. Grabbing her hand, they made their way to the door and met the rest of the group in the medicine shop. Colette's face lit up when she saw the two. The blonde ran away from Lloyd and left him utterly confused.

"Presea! I'm so happy you're okay!" she exclaimed. Forgetting that Presea is Presea, Colette wrapped her in a hug. Genis held his breath, knowing Presea was never hugged except by him. Colette, upon noticing the ax-girl's stiffness, started to pull back until Presea returned the hug.

"Thank you," she said after breaking the hug. Colette beamed, and the rest of the group came over.

"Are you sure you're okay? No pain, no aches?" Raine and Regal prodded.

"The pain is bearable, I will be alright. However, I have a suggestion. We should see Altessa to find out what went wrong with my crystal," she concluded. Altessa was the dwarf that had experimented on Presea and got that crystal on her. Lloyd nodded vigorously.

"Yeah! We need to know what's going on," he declared.

"To the rheairds!" Zelos chanted, pumping his fist in the air. Sheena rolled her eyes.

"How immature," she mumbled. Everyone got on their rheairds, but Genis insisted Presea ride with him in case of her pain returning. They secured a rope to her's so it could still come with them and they took off. Presea stood behind Genis and had her arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. She pressed her face to his back and relaxed, enjoying the exhilaration of flying. Genis could feel her clinging onto him tightly, and he smiled. I'm so lucky she's my girlfriend, he thought. When they finally reached Altessa's place, they found the dwarf sitting at the table with Tabatha, a robot in the body of a young woman with green hair woven in a long braid. Altessa must have been eating his supper.

"What brings you here?" the old dwarf grumbled.

"We have some questions about Presea's cruxis crystal. Something happened the other day," Raine told him. Altessa's eyes widened.

"Sit down, and tell me everything," he commanded.

"Well, on the way to Flanoir, Presea fell down in the snow screaming and writhing in pain. Her cruxis crystal turned black and was extremely hot, and gashes formed around it after a few minutes," Genis said, looking over at Presea. She winced at the memory, and Altessa's gaze shifted to her bandages.

"Presea...you are lucky to be alive," Altessa told her, and she turned her head up to look at him.

"What?" she asked, curious.

"Your crystal may have had a slight moment of rejection to your body. It is very rare and my research said almost impossible. However, here we are. Also, a victim of the crystal's rejection is lucky to be alive, it should have killed you," Altessa explained. Genis paled at hearing this.

"Will she be okay? Will it happen again?" he asked, scared for the answer. Presea, noticing the fear in his eyes, attached herself to his arm to reassure him.

"Presea should be fine. Whether it should happen again or not...I do not know. Fortunately, the chances of it happening again are about one percent, so I wouldn't worry much. If Presea's alright with it, I would like to take a look at her to make sure she's alright," he said, looking over at her. Genis looked into her eyes.

"You don't have to," he whispered so only she could hear.

"I need to," she replied, just as soft. Turning her attention back to the dwarf, she answered him.

"Alright."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

**I can't believe I'm saying this...gah it hurts! As much as I love your input and your ideas ChaoticChris I have to say...I can't use it until I reach my current chapter of 24. That's only because it's a lot to change, and may change my plot in the long run. I literally hate having to say that, because I ADORE your ideas. That's why I worship your Gesea fic, because you have such great ideas. However, after thinking it over, there's no way to fit it. This story started out as a way to satisfy my needs of things I wish happened, and turn into a story about whatever challenges I could think of for Genis and Presea to face. Since I've matured as has my story, the later chapters carry more of a plot. So, don't go away, because I'm gonna REALLY need your input then:) It's taking all my self-control not to edit myself XD Anyways, thank you so much for all your reviews, and I hope you continue to review because your analogies are always welcome because of their greatness:D Now a message for the rest of you:**

**same goes. I love input sooo much, but I'm afraid I can't use it until later. For now this fics reason is to satisfy your fluff and daily Gesea needs. On the later chapters I've written, it gets deeper so just wait till then, it's closer than you think... **

**BE**

**PS You still need to review. Of course I didn't forget**!


	11. Chapter Eleven: Presea's Cruxis Crystal

**Yay! Okay, like always I shall start off with review replies:**

**ChaoticChris: Thank you so much for everything you've said! Means a lot:)**

**AnriMia24: Gah! Thank you! :D It actually makes me feel like this is worth it when someone likes you sticks with it every chapter, supporting me the whole way, thank you! :)**

**Quick announcement: My birthday is tomorrow, the 17th of January! Ahhh! I'm gonna be 13:) Just throwing that out there.**

**Genis: Hey, you're my age!**

**BE: Yes yes:) Young teens unite! *fist bump***

**Genis: *fist bump***

**BE: While you're here, will you do the disclaimer pleassee?**

**Genis: Fine. Only because I'm a nice person. BlackEyes7 does not own ToS, Namco does. If she did though...well...lets not go there.**

**BE: Hehehehe. Read now! Btw that border took me forever**

**•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°**

Presea walked into the backroom with Altessa, feeling slightly uneasy. I remember this room, she thought, it's where he experimented on me.

"Please take a seat," Altessa instructed, shutting the door. As Presea laid down on the table, she shoved all of her feelings away and went back to the emotionless, numb person she was just a little time ago. Altessa brought over a tray of something she didn't dare look at, knowing that if she did mental images would flood her mind.

"I am terribly sorry, Presea. I am sorry for putting this cursed crystal on you," The dwarf apologized. Presea shook her head.

"Don't be, Altessa. I admit at first I was angry, but now I realize many good things have come out of it. I got a chance to help regenerate and fix the world, as well as the chance to meet Genis," she told him, keeping her face emotionless and staring at the ceiling. Altessa brought many wires with little suction cups attached to the ends of them and placed them on Presea's temples, neck, and the area of her chest that showed above the neckline of her dress. She felt a warmth inside, around the area of her crystal. Closing her eyes, Presea let Altessa work.

"Mana levels are slightly higher than normal," Altessa mumbled. Mana was the force of life, it flowed in everyone. Colette for example had a huge amount because she was supposed to be a vessel for Martel, a goddess, but Lloyd had saved her. Presea tried not to gasp as she felt something sharp prick her finger.

"Sorry, but I need a blood test," the dwarf explained. Presea nodded, keeping her eyes shut. She had no idea how long she laid there, enduring various tests. The only way to keep calm was to think of Genis. Think of his unusual silver hair, his bright blue eyes, his soft lips...how she wished he was here with her. Sighing, she returned to reliving moments with him until Altessa jolted her out of her thoughts.

"Presea. Presea. Presea!" he called. She snapped her eyes open.

"Sorry," the ax-girl apologized. Altessa offered her a hand, which she accepted and slid off the table. Opening the door with a creak, she could barely make out the rest of her friends sitting on the ground, trying to keep busy. Genis was the first to look up and he immediately got to his feet. Presea tried to walk over calmly, but she ached to run over and leap into his arms. Keeping an even pace, she slowly made her way over to Genis, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his shoulder. He brought his arms around her in a similar way and bent one arm so he could stroke her hair. It was all Presea could do to keep from crying. The way they just fit together in an embrace like they were made for each other made her certain that there was no one else for her. She felt Genis turn his head slightly away from resting on hers to something else. He's probably listening to Altessa, she guessed. Presea didn't care if she was going to die, all that mattered was the boy in her arms. Genis would live extremely long because he was a half elf, and if she survived this her cruxis crystal would slow her growth enough to stay with him just as long. Made for each other, she thought, I'm the only human who will get to live as long as him. Faintly, she heard Altessa's voice.

"Presea will be okay. It seems the worst is over with, and if she experiences any pain at all again let her rest for a day or two so it can subside. Her cuts will heal quicker than most gashes that deep, as long as she doesn't over exert herself." Genis sighed deeply in relief, and she tightened her grip slightly. A tear leaked out, and she hoped Genis didn't notice. Her face was still covered in his shoulder, so Presea didn't think anyone else would see. Unfortunately, Genis did notice and he pulled her face away from his so he could look at her. Presea, unfazed by this, decided to look him straight in his blue eyes so Genis could figure out what he was going to do. No point in hiding it now, she thought. Genis raised his eyebrows slightly and she did her best to keep her face blank. Much to her surprise, the half elf scooped her up into his arms bridal style, and Presea wrapped her own arms around his neck and hid her face back into his shoulder. Everyone else was too busy talking to Altessa so no one noticed the little scene, and even when Genis walked over and joined them no one seemed to pay attention. Lloyd thank Altessa and Raine was recording the information the dwarf was giving her about Presea's condition.

"Fascinating!" the professor would murmur time to time. The group left Altessa's place, thanking him again before taking flight. Only Presea was silent as she rode with Genis again. She was leaning against him, keeping her arms tight around him and her forehead pressed against his back. Her eyes were hollow and sad, but Genis couldn't see because he was flying the rheiard. Painful, painful memories floated around Presea's head. The flashback of when Presea was being experimented on brought back a flood of her most sorrowful memories. When she woke from her cruxis crystal state, the first thing she saw was her dead father. Also, going to Altamira and finding out her sister had died as well, and her hometown of Ozette being burned to the ground...Presea had to squeeze her eyes shut to stop the hot tears from escaping. When they landed, she opened her eyes, the terrible memories still fresh in her mind.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"In Sylvarant, right outside the Iselia Ranch," Lloyd answered with a slight wince. Colette went over and wrapped her arms around him to offer comfort. A ranch is a place where the Desians, evil soldiers who capture people to farm expheres on, take the people to kill and grow to the gems.

"Why here?" Presea questioned, knowing this is not a place they would've picked on purpose.

"Because no one could stand a moment more doing nothing on one those rheiards," Sheena explained before jumping straight into a perfectly balanced one-handed handstand. All of a sudden, Presea got a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what.

"Lloyd, we must get out of here," she said, eyes wide.

"Why?" the brunette swordsman replied, stretching.

"I have a bad feeling," Presea announced, suddenly feeling very dizzy. Stumbling, she dropped to her hands and knees with her head spinning.

"Presea, I think this is the after effects of your crystal incident. Altessa mentioned you may experience sudden dizziness," Raine explained, motioning with her hand for Genis to stay back. Her vision went in and out of fuzzy and clear.

"Raine...listen. We...we...must leave...now," Presea tried, her eyelids feeling heavy. Genis couldn't stand back and let nothing happen. He ignored Raine and ran after her, feeling her forehead.

"Raine, she's burning up!" he exclaimed, frightened.

"Genis...go," she managed. It was then the Desians ambushed them.

"Everybody, run!" Lloyd yelled. I...I can't, Presea thought, I'm too...dizzy.

"Zelos, Sheena, Lloyd, Raine, anybody! We can't leave Presea!" Genis shouted, trying to beat back some of the Desians by himself. Regal came sprinting back into the ever closer crowd of Desians. After gathering up the pink-haired girl, he realized they were trapped.

"Regal, listen to me. I'm going to open up a hole, and then we run. Got it?" Genis said before preparing to cast. Regal nodded.

"Gravity Well!" he shouted, and Regal took off. The man did not stop running until he was out safely with Presea.

"Where's Genis?" Lloyd asked, and Raine gasped. Looking far out into the distance she could barely make out a small boy being beaten by Desians.

"No," she whispered, dropping to her knees. No...it can't be...not Genis, Presea thought before slipping into unconsciousness.

•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°

Muhahaha cliffhanger:) I'm so very excited, because the next chapter was and still is one of my favorite chapters I've written to this day, and I'm up to 25 chapters! :) It was inspired by the Gesea fic "Alone Together" by ObviousMan, and if you haven't read it you should, it is one of my all tome favorites. You may notice a few obscure similarities though between my chapter and the story, if you look closely enough. It was inspired by that after all. Thank you so much for reading, and please review! I hope you stay on the edge of your seat because chappy 12 is coming soon! :)

BE


	12. Chapter Twelve: Iselia Ranch

**Heller there! It's now time for chapter 12, and I am excited! I have a question however that I would like to see if someone would answer. This chapter, like I said before, was inspired by ObviousMan's "Alone Together" so there are obscure similarities, is that alright? I mean it's not like I copied, but some things are a little similar. Answer whether or not that's okay and I'd be really appreciative. Gah! Must answer reviews quickly so you can read!**

**deity: Thank you very much:) Here's that next chapter for ya! **

**Disclaimer?**

**Sheena: Not today! **

**BE: Wait, why? I DON'T WANNA GET SUED. **

**Sheena: Chill out. We were just gonna say...*the rest of the ToS gang jumps out of a bush***

**ToS gang: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BLACKEYES7 WHO DOESN'T OWN TOS BECAUSE NAMCO DOES, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! **

**BE: *sobs uncontrollably* Even Genis sang despite what I did to him. Yes folks it is my birthday, which I have mentioned before I think, and now I'm 13! Yay! Since they cleverly snuck a disclaimer in, I guess you're good to go**

As the whip cracked across Genis' back, it stung like a thousand bees.

"Where are the rest of your group?" a soldier demanded.

"I don't know!" Genis yelled, earning another whip. He cried out in agony, not knowing how much more he could take.

"Maybe we should let him go. He's just a kid," a female Desian suggested.

"No way! He took out a third of our troops with magic! And do you know what magic means? He's a half elf! Half elfs don't deserve mercy," another Desian sneered.

"But I thought your leaders were half elves!" Genis exclaimed.

"That's because they are superior half elves. You, are not! And I didn't give you permission to speak!" the Desian with the whip screeched, lashing the torture device across Genis' back again. The small boy lay in a bloody heap on the ground, tears streaming down his face. Why do people discriminate against half elves? We're the same as they are, he thought.

"You there! Escort this inferior being to the holding cells. We'll leave this up to Lord Reji on what to do with you," the soldier said to another Desian. Nudging Genis with the tip of his sword, he descended into the heavily armored base with his head hung low. Different machines clanked and clicked as they made their way to the holding cells. It looked like an average jail, except instead of having a row of cells, they had columns. Countless rows of these towers stretched, and Genis had to take an elevator to reach his cell. It was pretty high up, and he didn't know how he was going to escape.

"Don't try anything funny!" the soldier ordered. Genis nodded solemnly, stepping inside the cell and standing there, still even as the resonating clank of the door shutting rang out. When he knew the Desian was gone, he sank to his knees and cried. Presea, I hope you and the others find me soon, Genis prayed silently. Genis sat in a corner, smelling the mold and mildew in the air. The stone was cold underneath him and the cell was awfully dirty. After a few hours, he heard the footsteps and clanking armor of a Desian soldier.

"You there! Half elf! Lord Reji would like to see you," the Desian informed him, smirking. The soldier wielded a whip, and Genis' still stinging wounds were not anxious for any more beatings.

"Walk," the Desian commanded. Genis did as he was told, and eventually they reached Lord Reji's office.

"So, you're the little half elf I've heard so much about. Genis, isn't it?" the Desian commander sneered. Genis got an eyeful of the large man. He had short, tousled black hair and pale skin, along with towering height. Lord Reji scanned his piercing dark blue eyes over Genis, inspecting him like an insect.

"Humph," Lord Reji said after a short amount of time. "We can have some fun with this one. Why don't we find out where his little friends are, and his sister. Raine, that's her name. Maybe Presea will come as well." Genis' heart stopped. "Oh, we will have great fun," the Desian leader chimed, smirking coldly. It felt as if Genis was drained of all blood. He knew he had to do something, he just didn't know what. Acting on crazy impulse, he whipped out his kendama and before he could cast one spell, Genis froze completely. Even when he tried extremely hard, he couldn't move. Lord Reji shook his head, tsking.

"Oh, I forgot to mention this. I, the great Lord Reji, have the power of mind control as well, so don't try anything," Reji told him as if discussing the weather. Internally, Genis wanted to shout and rip the guys throat out. No way he's gonna get Presea or Raine...or Lloyd! I can't let this happen, he thought sadly. However, no matter how much he struggled he couldn't move. Warmth flooded his body suddenly and he dropped to the floor like a ragdoll. Presea, perhaps our time together wasn't as long as I thought it would be, Genis said silently before letting the Desians take him away.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Presea awoke to the feeling of strong arms cradling her, arms that she knew did not belong to Genis. After blinking a couple times, the small girl was able to open her eyes and speak.

"What...happened?" she asked. Raine was kneeling on the ground, with hot tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

"They...took Genis," she managed, almost impossible to her. Regal set Presea down, but she didn't know if she could stand after hearing that. Looking over to Lloyd, she knew that this was true. The ever determined swordsman looked defeated.

"How did this happen?" Presea whispered, kneeling while dipping her head to he ground. She did not want to cry, but as the first tear ran down her cheek, many others followed. Sheena came and wrapped her arms around the girl protectively, trying to soothe her. Regal stepped forward.

"Presea...after you collapsed, we were ambushed by Desians. Everyone escaped, but Genis stayed because you couldn't move. I ran back to carry you, but we were surrounded. Genis told me that once he opened up a path we would run, but he stayed. I was too ignorant to look back until we had safely gotten to where everyone else was. Genis sacrificed himself so we could get out, and I blame myself," Regal concluded. Sheena tighted her grip on Presea, looking up at Regal to glare. The ax-girl shook her head, but kept her gaze in the dirt.

"It...was not your fault. Genis made his decision, and...I..I have to..." she broke off, unable to continue. Sheena stayed knelt beside her, keeping her arms around Presea's shoulders. Even though the ninja was normally stubborn and not so feminine, she looked like a mother comforting a child.

"I'm sorry, Presea," Sheena whispered. The pink-haired girl let her tears fall freely, and soon Raine had to let a few slip as well.

As night fell and people began to move to set up camp, Presea stayed on the ground. No life shone in her eyes, and no motivation was in her movements. She just sat with her knees pulled to her chest, her eyes staring dully into the dirt. If I don't have Genis, I dont have anyone, she thought. Why does everyone I love end up getting taken away from me?

"Hey, Little One! You gonna come eat?" Zelos promted, trying to lighten the mood with his old pet name for her. Sheena didn't even comment. The ax-girl shook her head, never breaking her gaze from the dirt.

"I'm going," Presea said, so quiet it was inaudible.

"What?" Sheena asked, pulling her head away from the fire to look at her. She had the best hearing out of everybody, so she was the only one who heard. Presea lifted her head, looking over at the group. They continued to stare at her, wating.

"I'm going," Presea said calmly, rising from her seat. Raine started to argure with her.

"But Presea, the chances-"

"I know what the chances are. There is a 43% chance that Genis will be alive, and I'm taking it. There is a 17% chance I will survive and successfully rescue him, and I'm taking it," she explained.

"If you are going, I'm going as well. I still feel as if it is my fault he was captured," Regal said, going over to stand beside her.

"Genis is my best friend, and I want him back too. So if Presea's going, I'm going too!" Lloyd announced.

"Me too!" chimed Colette, standing beside Presea with Lloyd and Regal.

"He may have been a brat, but it's not the same without him," Zelos sighed, taking his spot in the group.

"Well, I can't let Zelos upstage me," Sheena said, joining them as well. The only person who remained was Raine.

"I...I feel that this is rash. However, we have successfully infiltrated and rescued people from ranches before. Also...Genis is my brother...and I can't let those filthy Desians have him," she finished, Grabbing her staff as well and joining them. Presea summoned her axe and smiled slightly.

"Thank you," she said before turning and setting her sights one the ranch.

"Let's go!" Sheena shouted, drawing her cards. Everyone broke into a sprint, heading straight for the Iselia ranch.

+/\+\/+/\+\/+/\+\/+/\+\/+

When they arrived, rage eminated from Presea. She sliced her axe ruthlessly through the guards, smashing through the doors.

"You almost feel bad for the guards after seeing Presea mow through them!" Zelos exclaimed, earning an eyeroll from Sheena. Everyone tore their way through the ranch, searching for the prison where they knew Genis would be kept.

"Take the left path!" Raine shouted, remembering what the map on the machine had looked like. They reached the doors of the elevator that led to the many floors of the prison, and instead of killing the guard, Presea pressed the blade of her enormous weapon to his throat.

"You will tell me what floor and cell Genis Sage is being held in, or I will kill you before you can call for backup," she promised, voice full of ice and eyes piercing. The guard gulped, reaching for his sword. Lloyd and Zelos brought there swords up to his neck as well, and the Desian broke.

"Floor 22 cell 4893!" he blurted in a high pitched voice, slumping to the ground as the weapons were removed. Colette took his sword and helmet, and Sheena placed magic cards over his mouth, hands, and feet so he was bound.

"Sorry Mr. Desian, nothing personal," Colette apologized. Lloyd shook his head.

"You don't need to apologize, you dork," Lloyd told her with a smirk.

"I'm sorry," Colette apologized again, to Lloyd this time.

"Everyone, on the elevator!" Raine shouted. Presea sprinted, anticipation filling her whole being. I hope Genis is alive, she thought, keeping her face in a look of determination. If he's not, I swear I will kill every Desian in this whole ranch! she promised herself. The elevator rode painfully slow, and she wanted to bust it open with her axe. Raine placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and Presea lowered her axe, never realizing she had risen it in the first place. After what felt like an eternity, the elevator doors opened. Presea practically launched herself out of it and ran, trying to find his cell. 4887, 4888, she read, running faster. She was almost there.

"4893!" she shouted with triumph, seeing it up ahead. Her friends were a few paces behind her, just as excited. When she reached the cell, disappointment crushed her. Hot tears slipped out of her eyes, as she saw the dark cell to be empty.

"Genis," she sobbed, and Raine began to cry as well. All of a sudden, something caught her eye. She sucked in a breath, cutting off her cries. In the darkest corner, something moved in the shadows.

"P...Presea?" called a raspy voice. She immediately snapped her head to look for the source of the voice.

"It's me! It's Presea!" she called, the group gathering around to get a better look. A dark figure rose, stepping out into the light. A bloodied Genis appeared before them, staggering over the jail bars.

"I thought...I'd never see you again," he whispered, grabbing onto the cell bars. Looking around, he cracked a very small smile.

"You all came, even Zelos," he joked in what would have been a shout if he had not been in this shape.

"What did they do to you?" Raine asked in horror, staring at his tattered clothes and bloodied face. The half elf boy cringed, before pulling away from the bars and turning around. Presea gasped, as did most of everyone else. On his back were the tattered remains of clothes, and underneath it was line after line after line of bloody red marks.

"They whipped me when I couldn't tell them where you all were hiding," he choked out, tears coloring his words. Turning back around, he faced Presea who was already crying.

"I'm so sorry Genis...I will get you out of here. I will kill every Desian who ever hurt you," she promised, anger rising. "Everyone, please back away." Everyone had enough common sense to know that when Presea said back away, you better. Genis put his back against the wall, watching her warily. Fresh anger giving her power, she swung her axe at the jail with as much force as she could muster. The cut a large, jagged hole through the bars and Genis was able to climb out. Not caring about anyone else, she grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him. After she broke away, he wrapped her in a tight hug. Tears coursed down her face, Genis looked over at Raine.

"Hey, Sis," he said quietly. Tears began to fill her eyes as well.

"Okay, enough tears. Let's get outta here!" Zelos exclaimed. Colette smiled at the scene, and Lloyd put his arm around her. Genis suddenly tensed. Presea pulled away.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking into his eyes that seemed to be full of fear.

"You guys...shouldn't have come here," he said unsteadily.

"What, why?" Sheena asked.

"Because-"

"Because of me," Lord Reji's smooth voice rang out as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Such a touching scene...how should I kill the boy now? I have audience, so it must be a good show," he said, tapping his chin.

"I'd like to see you try and kill him," Presea said, readying her axe. Reji snapped his fingers.

"I know! You," he said pointing at Presea. Time to die, she thought, starting to charge the Desian leader.

"No!" Genis shouted. All of a sudden, everyone dropped their weapons, and walked over to the side out of the way. What's going on? I can't move, or talk! she exclaimed silently. Everyone's faces were blank, and they stood in a perfect line. Only Genis could move, but he knew he couldn't do anything.

"How does it feel, half elf, to see all of your friends defenseless? I wonder...how would it feel to have to girl you love most...kill you herself?" he sneered, and Geins' face became one of pure horror. No, not me. I can't kill him! she thought. However, she walked out of the line and picked up her axe, wearing an emotionless expression.

"Presea...don't do this!" Genis shouted. Reji chuckled.

"A futile attempt," he said, standing back to watch. No, no, no...this can't be happening. Genis, run! she screamed inside. Despite all her efforts, she swung her axe. Genis dodged, but Presea knew he couldn't keep it up long. On the inside, she was crying. All this...for nothing. He's going to die...I'll be a murderer! she thought. Involuntarily, she swung her axe again, except this time Genis was too slow. It cut a good three inches into his side, right at his waist. Blood spurted out onto Presea, and he cried out before crumpling down onto the ground. Looking down at his blood on her hands and dress, she lost it. I..killed...Genis...she thought before totally blacking out.

White-hot pain seared through his side as her axe cut into him. The beautiful blue eyes he loved were clouded and dull. Falling to the ground, he looked up at her with fuzzy vision. Genis could barely make her out, and it seemed she was looking at his blood all over her hands and clothes. Rage flashed in her eyes, and she turned to face Lord Reji. The Desian leader's eyes bulged at the sight of her.

"Impossible!" he exclaimed. With the same emotionless expression, she ran her axe through Reji. The Desian commander's bloodied form went limp, and Presea collapsed. Everyone who had been being forced to stand by and watch broke free of Reji's mental grasp, which was the last thing Genis saw before he blacked out.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Presea blinked, taking in her surroundings. It looked like she was in a tent...back at the camp. They must have brought me back here...but what happened to Lord Reji? They must have killed him somehow...just like I killed...Genis, she thought, tears brimming her eyes.

You monster, a voice inside her head said. You killed Genis! He loved you, and you couldn't resist even simple mind control?

There was nothing I could do! she thought back, crying.

Liar. You let him die. You're a murder! You deserve to die, the voice told her. She rolled her head to the side and saw her axe covered in bloodstains that appeared to have been attempted to be hastily wiped off. Looking down at her hands, she saw the same type of faint bloodstain. I really did kill him, she thought. He's dead...because of me! she thought. Standing up, she walked over and picked up her axe.

Do it, the voice told her. You deserve it.

I know, she thought back. Alicia, Daddy, Mommy, and Genis, I'm coming.

Raising the axe high above her head, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Just as she began to bring it down, she heard a voice.

"Stop!" it shouted. Presea's eyes snapped open and her axe landed on the ground beside her. Turning around, she saw Colette running towards her, dropping the cloths and bandages she was carrying as she went.

"What are you doing?" Colette demanded, grabbing her wrists. Presea started to cry.

"I murdered Genis! I deserve to die," she sobbed. Colette shook her head.

"What are you talking about? He's alive!" the blonde shouted.

"What? But...but...I ran my axe through his side," she said, trying to stop her flowing tears as the memory took place again in her mind. Colette tightened her grip on Presea's wrists.

"I don't know what happened to you, but you must not have seen the rest. After that, you looked at the blood on your hands and turned around. You killed Reji, and after that you collapsed. After Reji died, we could all move and Raine was able to use her new advanced healing arts to stop the bleeding until we got here. Then, she used to left over thread to give him his needed stitches. He's alive, Presea. I promise!" Colette told her. Presea had stopped crying, and she had to blink a few times.

"He's...alive?" she asked incredulously. Colette smiled, knowing she had saved Presea from her suicide attempt.

"Yes. Come on, you can come see him. You are all he's asked about," she told Presea. The pink-haired girl followed, relief flooding her body. He's alive, she kept repeating in her head.

¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?¿

**There you are! So...what did you think? Sorry some of the borders were boring, there was just so many of them! Hope you all have a wonderful January 17, and please drop by an leave a review! They are always appreciated:) Bye now,**

**BE**


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Puzzle Pieces

**GAH! You all have the right to kill me after I went so long without updating. It's been a crazy few weeks and I never got back to updating. GR. Well, I'm back now and I'm so thankful for all of you that did not give up on my story :) going to try and keep it short today for review replies:**

**ChaoticChris: Yay! You came back! :D don't know what to say except thank you so much! It means a lot to me that you came back and reviewed, it was the final push too tell me "Get off your lazy butt and UPDATE." So I did :) Sorry that my reply won't be as long today just because I want to get chapters up in rapid-fire mode, then I shall go back to long review replies:) Thanks so much for everything you said**

**Disclaimer: Man, it's been a while. I'm a little rusty..**

**Genis: No kidding. I mean you kinda forgot about us...**

**BE: Did not! In my defense, I didn't forget I just didn't have time. **

**Genis: Oh, it's ALL better now. This is around the time you'd ask me to do the disclaimer soo I'm gonna get to it. BlackEyes7 does not own ToS, Namco does. There's one way to distinguish the two: Namco didn't ever say "I don't have the time to create ToS."**

**BE: -_- Read now. Lazy borders.**

Colette opened up the mouth of the tent and Presea walked inside, no need to bend over because she wasn't very tall. A moaning Genis lay on the makeshift surgery room's floor. The tent had various tables with large amounts of tools assorted on each one of them. Genis lay in a sleeping bag pulled up so you could only see his head, which had a cool cloth across the forehead area. His eyes were closed and he moaned loudly, causing Raine who was in the corner messing with her tools to glance over quickly. After deciding it was nothing she could help, her attention refocused on organizing her tools.

"Genis?" Presea called gently. With some effort, he opened his eyes. She saw his pupils contract before focusing on her face.

"Presea, you're here," he said quietly, smiling. "Raine, may I please sit up?" he asked. His sister sighed.

"Fine," she agreed, before leaving the tent so the two could be alone. Genis took the cloth of his forehead and used his hands to push himself off the floor, cringing slightly as he did so. His shirt was off, but his lower torso was covered in bandages. When he finally got himself into a sitting position, he patted the spot next to him. Gladly accepting the invitation, Presea sat down next to him.

"Genis...I thought I had killed you," she murmured, and Genis placed a finger on her lips.

"I'm here, no need to dwell on things such as that," he told her with a smile. She brought her fingers to the wet strands of hair that stuck to his forehead from the damp cloth, arranging them the way they normally sat. After finally dropping her hand, she spoke.

"But-"

"But what?"

The ax-girl took a deep breath.

"I...was going to kill myself. I considered myself a murderer, worthy of death. If Colette had walked by just a second later..." she stopped, unable to continue. Genis' eyes became wide orbs of shock.

"Presea, even if I had died you were not the murder. You simply were a tool, Reji was the murder. A person can wear a glove, and influence the glove to do something. However, if the person wears the glove to strangle somebody, the glove isn't at fault. It's the person making them do these things," Genis explained to her. She sighed.

"A true statement. A very wise one as well. If only I had thought of that," she trailed off, hanging her head and feeling foolish. Genis wrapped his arms around her.

"It's alright, you're fine. I have to go thank Colette hugely for saving my beloved girlfriend. I wouldn't be able to live without you either, though. Because guess what?" he asked.

"What?" she replied, cocking her head to one side in confusion.

"I love you," he said with a bright grin that Presea returned.

"I love you," she whispered, caressing his cheek. The two leaned in for a long overdue kiss, lips moving in sync. Age, place, time didn't matter. They were enjoying the concept that both were alive after near death experiences, and Presea knew this was different than any other kiss. Their calm breaths turned into ragged pants, and eventually they broke apart. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the moment. Presea felt Genis kiss her forehead, nose and finally lips. She bent her forehead so it touched his and whispered her most sincere words.

"I love you, more than you know. I breathe for you, I live for you. In the mist of this darkness that is my life, you are a shining beacon of light. After so much sorrow, you brought me joy. Thank you, Genis," she told him breathlessly, their breaths mingling as she talked. Taking this as a chance to express his feelings as well, Genis whispered to her softly.

"Presea...you are the most magnificent girl I've ever met. From you vibrant pink hair, to your bright blue eyes, to your cruxis crystal and key crest, I love you. All of you. From the moment I saw you in the church, I liked you. Now, you are the reasons I can keep myself from hating humans. All the discrimination against me and my sister, and you have stayed by my side no matter what. I should be thanking you, Presea," he told her. The pink-haired girl smiled, before planting a lingering kiss one his lips. Running a hand over his chest while their lips met, she pulled away. Her fingers trailed down to his pure white bandages, and she lifted to edge to see where her mark was. A long, thin line of neat stitches ran where she had cut. Tracing her index finger along them, she looked up solemnly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, removing her hand from his stomach.

"Don't apologize, if not for you I would have never been rescued and Reji would still be alive. Can I have my kiss now?" he asked teasingly. She smiled, pecking him on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.

"I want to be yours forever," she told him, closing her eyes.

"Forever," he agreed, resting his head on top of hers. Genis' hand ran up and down Presea's arm, sending chills down her spine. Pulling the ties from her hair, pink hair spilled out onto Genis' shoulder. He wrapped both his arms around her slender waist and they sat like this for a while. Raine walked in, hating to interrupt but doing it all the same.

"Presea, I need to speak with you," Raine told the girl in her brother's arms. Willing her eyes open, she replied reluctantly.

"Mm?" she asked.

"Colette told me you did not remember what happened after you injured Genis...what do you remember?" she probed. Even though Presea's eyes were now open, she did not removed her head from Genis' shoulder or her body from his, nor did he let his arms drop. She thought hard, trying to remember.

"After I hurt Genis, rage coursed through my veins towards Reji. Then, as I saw Genis' blood, I thought I had killed him and blacked out. That's all," she explained. Raine nodded.

"It makes sense," the professor declared.

"What?" Genis asked.

"The reason Presea didn't remember anything. Reji controls the consciousness, so when Presea's mental state died, her body acted on the last impulse it had experienced: rage. It had overpowered anything Reji had commanded, and thus why Presea was able to resist until murdering Reji. This also explains her immediate collapse afterwards," Raine informed them.

"Thank you, Raine. I understand," she said, thinking. Another puzzle piece in place, she said to herself silently before closing her eyes once again to lose herself in Genis' warmth. The sound of Raine's soft footsteps faded away as she exited the tent.

"Should I...leave as well?" she asked tentatively, not really wanting to go. Genis in turn pulled her closer.

"Only if you want to," he whispered in her ear. Sighing, Presea placed her head back down on his shoulder before dozing off. Genis, though he had been keeping it to himself, was in great pain and lowered himself back down after she had fallen asleep. Her head slid onto his chest, and he played with her long layered hair.

"Sleep well, Presea," he whispered, before exhastion claimed him as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}~~~

As his groggy mind began to wake up, he felt another damp cloth on his forehead.

"Morning," a cool female voice said. Looking around with squinted eyes, he spotted Raine wringing out yet another cloth.

"Mm," Genis mumbled. He noticed a slight weight across his chest and stomach, and looked down to find the small girl still sleeping with one of her arms slung across Genis' stomach. Stirring slightly, her eyes cracked open.

"Morning," she mumbled, still half asleep.

"Wake up already we got things to do today!" the half elf's sister yelled before cuffing Genis on the head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, looking up at his smirking sibling. "Alright, alright! I'm getting up!" Presea had already begun to detatch herself, blushing slightly about where she had ended up sleeping. Seeing the boy's shirt across the room, she walked over and threw it at him with all of her cruxis crystal induced strength.

"Geez! You could make a napkin dangerous with that amount of power!" he teased. The ax-girl grinned with closed lips, satisfied he was well enough to humor her.

"Get ready. Today is the day we heal the Linkite Tree and form a pact with Aska, the final summon spirt," Presea told him, walking over and tucking in a part of his shirt.

"Let's aim for not dying, okay?" he said, half serious. Presea nodded, and the two exited the tent hand in hand.

**I couldn't think of an ending for this one so just bear it for now, chapter fourteen will come soon enough:) Again I am very sorry for the wait, I'll try and update quickly again. Thank you so much for reading, please leave a review on the way out :) By the way, I now have a deviantart account so I'd love for you to check it out! My username is BlackEyes17 (BlackEyes7 was taken O_o) so if you have the time please give my art a looksy!:) Okay, I'll leave now. Until next chapter,**

**BE**


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Pointed Ears

**Super duper quick disclaimer for the next couple chapters, I'm on rapid fire mode :D**

**Namco ownsTales of Symphonia, not me. I called them to ask if they could give it to me but they said no. Poo.**

**Reading time! :D**

**8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~**

Approaching the Linkite Tree, Genis was slightly nervous. If all went according to plan, the two worlds, Tethe'alla and Sylvarant could be separated forever. It could be the last time he got to see a some of his friends. It felt like something was gnawing on the inside of his stomach, chewing up every ounce of calm left inside. Genis felt like the only one in the group who wasn't excited.

"Wow, we finally get to meet Aska, the summon spirit of light! He must be pretty cool," Lloyd exclaimed with shining eyes. Colette walked beside him, giggling. Sheena was playing with her cards to pass the time while Zelos stared at some places he probably shouldn't have. Noticing this out of the corner of her eye, Sheena whirled around with a vengeance.

"You stupid perverted Chosen!" she shrieked, swinging her leg around to kick him squarely in the jaw, but Zelos managed to dodge last second.

"Whoa, whoa, no need to get vio-" Zelos' shout was cut off by an enraged ninja's uppercut. Flying backwards, the redhead chosen back-flipped at the last second to avoid landing on his face, but alas Sheena was already prepping a kick.

"Truce! Truce!" he screamed, jumping around wildly waving his arms. Sheena stopped pursuing him suddenly, and he walked up to sling an arm over her.

"Whew, thank goodness that's ove-" Once again he was cut off, but this time by the summoner's slap. Sheena smiled with satisfaction.

"All good now," she chimed, walking away from a staggering Zelos without even looking back. Genis' stomach clenched, and he felt sick. Even if Aska showed up, he would be tough to defeat, and the last thing they needed was another near death experience. Looking to his side, he saw Presea walking a few feet away looking eerily moved so he would be walking next to her as inconspicuously as he could.

"Are you alright?" he asked her, voice laced with concern. Blinking, Presea looked over at him.

"What?" she asked, clearly distracted.

"What's wrong?" Genis asked again, growing more concerned by the second. Presea sighed.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking. So far, both of us have had two fatal incidents and somehow survived, but now I'm worried that with the upcoming fight, we won't be so lucky. Or someone else may not...and the worlds will split apart. What will that mean? There is a 48% chance something unexpected will happen." The concern was clear in her voice and glowed brightly in her blue eyes. He grabbed her hand, perhaps too harshly. She gasped slightly at his roughness, and stared at his determined face. Holding their entwined hands up in front of her face, he finally spoke with a fire glowing in his usually calm eyes.

"Presea, I won't let anything happen to you. We've been through a lot so far, and I'm convinced there's nothing we can't get past. I'm nervous about what will happen as well, but we can't let it get in our heads. You are strong, Presea, remember that," he finished, loosening his grip on her hand and giving her a quick kiss on her cheek. The smoldering embers in his eyes had cooled back into the blue oceans she was used to. Leaning into him, they continued to walk in the back of the pack at a sluggish pace. As they reached the tree, Sheena and Raine stepped up.

"Ready?" Raine asked Sheena. Sheena nodded.

"Come, servant of Mother Earth!" Sheena commanded. Gnome the Earth Spirit appeared.

"Whaddaya want? I'm kinda busy," Gnome whined.

"Make this soil fertile again, Gnome," Sheena ordered.

"Fine, fine," Gnome agreed, and the dusty ground turned into soft soil and lush green plant life.

"Your turn Raine," Lloyd said nervously. The healer stepped forward, confidence in her posture.

"Resurrection!" she boomed, the tree's once barren branches growing an abundance of leaves, the cracked trunk mending itself.

"Okay, Lloyd and Presea, get the flute you two made out. Genis, come up here next to me," Sheena told them. As Genis took his place, Presea pulled to flute from her small bag on her hip and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said softly before turning his attention to the tree.

"Ready?" Sheena asked. Genis nodded, looking down at the flute made of this very tree's nuts. It had many wooden pipes of varying lengths in order of tallest to shortest, bound together skillfully with cleverly placed holes in each pipe. Positioning it under his mouth, he played his simple six note tune, and the group prepared to meet Aska. The majestic golden bird appeared before them, flapping it's large wings at a steady pace.

"I am Aska, summon spirit of light. Why did you call me?" Aska questioned.

"I am Sheena. I seek a pact with you," the ninja stated.

"I am one who is bound to Mithos," the bird told them. Mithos, the hero of the horrible war that had occurred four thousand years ago, and also the one who had split the world in two and was running Cruxis, and organization of angels to destroy the world. So far every summon spirit had a pact with him.

"I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos, and establish a new pact with me," Sheena told him, not missing a beat. It felt like the millionth time she had said those very words.

"Where is Luna? I will not make a pact unless she is here as well," Aska told her.

"She's at the Tower of Mana, I think," Sheena said, losing the formality in her voice.

"Very well, I shall make a pact with you at the Tower of Mana with Luna," the golden bird told her, still keeping the consistent pattern of flapping with its wings.

"Yeah, okay!" Sheena agreed, and Aska disappeared. Luna and Aska were both spirits of light, much like there were three spirits of wind.

"Was that alright?" Lloyd asked uncertainly. Sheena nodded.

"Yeah, he said he'll make a pact. We just have to go the Tower of Mana," she explained with a confidence that wasn't so strong inside of her. Genis sagged with relief. It had all gone well, but they still had to fight Aska...and he would have Luna with him too. It would be twice as hard to beat them. Presea walked over and bent so she could rub his back. He was on his knees and didn't look too good. Turning his head, he forced a smile. Presea shook her head.

"Don't force the smile for me, Genis. I know you well enough to tell when you are upset. Hiding your feelings can become overwhelming, and even push you to the brink of insanity," she told him, sinking to her knees beside him. The grin instantly dropped, and his head hung yet again. Everyone else was caught in a small group of debate over what to do next, so they had a little privacy. Bringing a hand up, the ax-girl played with his silvery hair. It just about reached his shoulders in its longest layer, fact being because of the many layers he had his hair had various lengths. Pushing away the hair that always covered his ears, she realized something. His ears were slightly pointed, like an elf's. She had always assumed they were round like a human's, but then again Raine's ears were always covered by her silver hair as well. Running a finger along the pointed edge with a gentle caressing touch, Genis went rigid.

"Are you okay?" she asked, withdrawing her finger and tilting her head to look at his face. He just looked up with a burning face.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine. It's just...m-my ears...are you...t-touching them because...they're so...p-pointy? N-no one's ever t-touched them like th-that...before," he managed, stuttering for the first time in a while. A deep blush spread across Genis' cheeks, and he looked down causing his hair to cover the pointed ears yet again. Covering his face red face with his hands, he dropped his head. Presea smiled and moved the hair away again, to look at them.

"They're weird, aren't they?" he mumbled into his hands. In response, Presea brought her lips so they brushed his ear slightly and whispered so only he could hear her.

"No...they are beautiful," she disagreed, kissing the pointed tip. Taking his hands away, he brought his head up to look at her. Upon seeing her sincere smile, his confused face smoothed over into one of joy.

"I love you," he whispered for what felt like the hundredth time. However, he could say it a thousand times and it would never be enough.

"And I love you, every last bit," she replied, tugging on his elven ear at the end of her sentence. Still grinning, she kissed his cheek like he had to her not to long ago before resting her head back onto the comfortable spot on his shoulder she had fallen asleep on many times.

"Hey Genis! We're gonna move out, you coming?" Lloyd called. Presea took her head away and Genis nodded, grabbing Presea's hand before jumping up and sprinting to the group with the pink-haired girl stumbling to keep up. When they reached the group, the couple were out of breath.

"Where...are we going?" Genis gasped, clutching his side. Colette grinned.

"Tower of Mana!"

**~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~**

**Muhahaha, Genis has pointy ears which just makes him all the more awesome. I really wanna thank my friend, she helped me with this chapter:) I ran into a block when it came to what Genis' dialogue should be, so she assisted. I don't really know what to say except thanks for reading, I hope you liked it and review:) See ya,**

**BE**


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Who is She?

**Alright, so this was a filler chapter about something that I had realized and made a fail attempt to correct. What I had realized will be revealed at the end of the chapter. Also, something I forgot to say to a review:**

**ChaoticChris: You said that you may sound sadistic for liking the darker kind of drama, but not at all! I prefer to read that kind of stuff and look forward to it as well, because, well, for pretty much the same reasons as you XD I'm happy to see you enjoy it though! **

**And new review:**

**diety: Yup! Here it is for ya**

**Disclaimer time, HIYA. Tales of Symphonia does not belong to me in any way shape or form, it belongs to Namco. The whole thing about the summon spirits and whatnot, that's all part of the Tales of Symphonia game. However, the side plots and such are all mine. MINE! muhahaha. So, just to clarify, I do NOT own Tales of Symphonia. Got it? Good. No suing, I don't have any money**.

**Also, I'no knocked out sick so I'll probably be able to get some chappies up :) Hopefully I can get them totally caught up, but that is unlikely because I have 16 more chapters to transfer :P**

Walking was getting seriously old.

"Why can't we use the rheairds?" Zelos whined the hundred and twenty-fourth time. Raine sighed.

"We need the exercise! Plus, it's a chance to train a bit before we have to fight the summon spirits of light, who may I add are the most powerful summon spirits in all of Symphonia!" Raine explained again, voice rising at the end to a scary screech that she normally only used on students.

"Zelos...you have a poor memory," Presea noted in a monotone. Indeed, the young ax-girl was growing tired, for not many monsters around this area were much of a challenge. One blow from her axe and they died, what good could come from that? Despite her thoughts, she trudged on silently with blank eyes, deep in thought. _He was embarrassed about his ears...I think they are beautiful. Representing the part of him that is elven...they are not just a part of him physically but a part of what makes him Genis. It is cruel how people discriminate against him and Raine, they truly are good people,_ she thought. Slowing her pace to walk beside Raine, the professor's intrest peaked and the older half elf turned her head to look at Presea.

"Do you need something, Presea?" she asked. The taciturn girl shook her head, but as Raine turned her head she spoke.

"Raine...are your ears pointed?" she asked, oblivious to the shock that crossed the healer's face. Quickly recovering, she smiled and tucked her hair back revealing ears identical to Genis'.

"Well, last time I checked. Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Raine questioned. Presea's face was still blank.

"Well...I had thought half elves ears were rounded like a humans...but when I found out Genis' were not I just got curious. Do you both wear your hair long to hide them?" the pink-haired girl continued to question. Raine laughed, a light noise like the jingling of bells.

"No, I just like my hair this way. I wish Genis would cut his though, it looks so unkept," Raine sighed, shaking her head. Presea smiled.

"Really? I figured Genis kept his that length to hide them...he was quite embarrassed when I found out," the pink-haired girl said, wondering how Raine would react. The professer smirked.

"Well, he really does like you a lot, so I'm sure he's a lot more sensitive around you. Just remember to leave enough time for him to spend with his sister," Raine joked, sadness tainting the casual phrase. Presea nodded seriously, understanding how Raine must feel.

"Thank you, Raine," the ax-girl said, catching the half elf off guard.

"For what?" Raine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For taking care of Genis all these years. I understand how tough it must have been to support you and your brother, and now thanks to you he's here today with a geniune heart. He's...the only person I haven't given up on yet," Presea explained solemnly. Raine cracked a smile with eyes full of pain.

"It was a family obligation, I suppose. Indeed, it has been difficult. For so long, it was me and him against the world, facing discrimination in every place. That's why...we had to lie about being elves to even find a place to live. However, it is not who we are. We are half elves, always will be. So, I believe it is I who should be thanking you, Presea. It's very rare you find a human that does not look at us like scum to be disposed of," the woman said with distaste. Continuing on, the two walked silently until Lloyd declared it was time to set up camp. With tents in place and a fire burning, Presea watched silently as Genis cooked. It was like a dance, each movement was graceful as he did it. Whipping the pan to fry the dish evenly, while stirring something else at once with quick circles. His hair swished as he moved, a single drop of sweat on his nose. Presea had a sudden idea. Going inside her tent, she pulled out a sketch pad. She had always enjoyed crafting, so Regal had suggested drawing to her. Without any false modesty she could admit her drawings were good, but she had never draw anything so vividly animate before. Perching on a rock nearby, she pulled out a pencil and began the seemingly difficult drawing. Starting off with his face and hair, she sketched it out. Jagged, uneven lines for his hair, and soft curves for the depths of his face. Next she drew in the sparkling eyes she loved so much, with his eyebrows drawn together in concentration. Slowly the drawing came together. Shading provided a welcome challenge, trying to capture the glow of the fire reflecting onto him. Just as Presea finished, the small half elf completed the meal. Using his sleeve to wipe of the sheen of sweat that covered his face, he called everyone to dinner. Setting down her completed masterpiece, she walked over to get her fill. Afterwards, Presea sat back down on her rock and reviewed her drawing, sighing at the small quirks she had made. His nose was to angular, and his eyes were too big. _It doesn't look anything like him,_ she thought in frustration, preparing to tear it in half.

"What do you got there?" Genis asked, appearing before her. Placing the sketch in her lap face down, she motioned for him to sit next to her. Smiling, the boy accepted the invitation and continued to stare at the mysterious piece of paper in her lap.

"What is that?" he probed again, noticing disappointment flash briefly in her light blue eyes. Presea covered it up quickly and tried to dismiss it.

"It's nothing," she replied, anxious that her tone was unconvincing. However, Genis had already snatched the paper. When he looked at the drawing, his eyes widened considerably.

"Did you...draw this?" he asked incredulously. She nodded, saddened. _He probably hates it,_ or thinks I was making fun of him, she thought worriedly. Watching his face, she internally cringed.

_I can't believe she drew this. Is this how she sees me?_ he wondered. His face that was still full of a child's features looked mature and handsome in her drawing. His eyes were enticing and focused on the dish he was making, she even got the little drip of sweat on his nose. Despite this, it was unmistakably Genis.

"Presea...this is...amazing. I can't believe you drew this, you're really good," he said, blushing slightly at the fact that she had drawn him. The pink-haired girl's face flushed, and she looked down.

"No...you are just saying that. It looks nothing like you. Your nose looks too angular, and your eyes are too big, among other things. I hope you are not angry at me for making you look so strange," Presea sighed. Genis shook his head, laughing a bit.

"Believe me, I'm not just saying that. It's amazing. If anything, you made me look less strange than normal," he laughed, making her smile. Presea reached over and brushed some of his hair away.

"You are...perfect," she told him, eyes shining. Genis moved closer to her and she snuggled into the crook of his arm, breathing in his scent. Both smiled the rest of dinner, and walked back into what had been claimed as their tent. After lying down on the mattress, she turned to ask him a question.

"Genis...how is your wound?" she prodded, worry evident. He rolled over onto his back and placed a hand on the part of his shirt where the wound was, wincing. Sliding her hand over, she lifted up the corner of his garment to see where a jagged scar ran. Pain stabbed Presea's heart, knowing she did that. She hurt him. Tears began to stream steadily down her face, landing on his shirt after Presea lowered it. Genis, who had been staring at the ceiling, now turned to see her holding her hands over her mouth as she tried to muffle her sobs. Wet drops coursed freely down her cheeks, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm...sorry," she choked. Genis wrapped his arms around her back and used his hands to pull her head to his chest. Presea kept crying, dread weighing her down.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. I'm fine. Calm down, it wasn't your fault," he cooed, feeling her body shake with every hiccup. Genis stroked her hair like he had so many other times, trying to get her to relax. Gradually, the shaking slowed and her sobbing grew quiet. It felt like a pattern now as Genis spent more time with her. She raised her head, wiping her moist eyes.

"I know it wasn't my fault...but seeing the scar...knowing I caused that...it's just too much," she managed before tears threatened to spill over again. She brought her arms around him, and he held her until she cried herself out.

"Are you okay now?" Genis probed, wiping away some tears with his thumb. Presea nodded, frowning.

"This is...getting old, isn't it? I seem to always be crying," she mused sadly. The half elf shook his head.

"No, tears are normal. You just aren't used to it yet, all those tears you kept suppressed for so long are all ready to come bursting out. I'm here for you, through everything. So, I'm happy you trust me enough to cry," Genis finished with a smile.

"I suppose...but from now on I will be strong again. I don't want to cry anymore. Before, no one could provoke me, or upset me. I was strong, dependent. Now...I'm falling apart. It's time I find myself," she concluded in a determined tone.

"Before though, you had no emotions. You were too strong. You didn't want to depend on me to help you, you shut out the world. Once you opened up, all your emotions came spilling out. I know that tears aren't really your thing either, so you just have to find the balance. Then it will be alright," Genis told her soothingly, running his fingers through her hair.

"I am strong as long as you are by my side," Presea whispered, straying away from the topic slightly.

"I'm not going anywhere. We'll find out who you really are together," Genis assured her before kissing her forehead. Presea laid there thinking until she heard Genis' even breaths fade into soft snoring.

That night, Presea had a violent nightmare. It was the first in a while, probably because she had fallen asleep to the scary thoughts that she had changed for the worse. The ax-girl woke with a jolt, eyes snapping open but willing her body to stay still. She did not want to wake Genis...but what had she done while she was asleep? Somehow, her leg had found its way over his and her arms were wrapped tightly around Genis. Carefully (and blushing), Presea withdrew herself from him and rose from the ground. Across the room, she saw her small hand mirror. Presea picked it up, and looked back at her reflection. A pair of cobalt eyes stared back at her, but they were full of confusion and frustration. Her mouth was a thin line, reluctant to smile for anyone.

"Who are you?" she whispered to the mirror, staying extremely quiet. _Perhaps...I am the same person I was, but I cried for good reason. It was not my fault these things happened to Genis, and I care for him. So the natural response would be to cry_, she thought uncertainly. Presea began to rub her temples. _This is...confusing_, she said silently. After tying her hair up, she went outside to breathe. Naturally, Sheena was awake. The ninja stopped her morning exercises upon noticing Presea's pained expression.

"What's wrong?" Sheena pried. The pink-haired girl continued to rub her temples with her eyes shut for a moment before responding.

"I...do not know who I am," Presea confessed. The summoner was taken aback by this.

"What do you mean?" she questioned further.

"I mean...before I was a girl who kept to herself. I never let emotions leak through and I was strong. Now...I cry all the time and I know that's not me. I did not think I was weak but...perhaps I am. It is confusing to me," Presea explained, dropping her face into her hands at the last sentence. Sheena rose from her spot on the ground to hug the small girl in an effort to soothe Presea's mind.

"I'm sorry...but I personally think we all have moments were we lose ourselves. Me with Volt when I totally lost it...Regal with his crime and was consumed by sadness...we all have times where we are other people. I do not think you are weak, but the fact that you just found someone else to rely on and they were almost taken away from you...it affected you. I believe you are strong, but not so strong you shut people out. Do not worry, someday you will get this all figured out for yourself," Sheena promised. Presea gave the summoner a small smile.

"Thank you."

**This was probably one of my least favorite chapters I have written, but at this time I was afraid that Presea was a little too OOC, for example with her crying. I thought that I needed to fix it a bit, but I did a bad job. Chapter 16 will be better I promise:) Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it and will review. Ciao,**

**BE**


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Out of Control

**Well, here we go again! I apologize for not uploading, I forgot to take into account that as a sick person I would be sleeping all day XD Anyways, thanks to the lovely reviewers to whom I shall now reply to :)**

**AnriMia24**: **Thank you so much for the reviews! Also I very much appreciate you sticking with my story :) Sorry I disappeared for a while, updating was tricky for that elapsed time **

**ObviousMan: Well, I know that technically wasn't a review but I still must thank you:) For those of you who have not seen ObviousMan's works, you must check them out! After you read my story, of course.**

**BE: Regal! How about 'cha do the disclaimer since you barely appear in my story?**

**Regal: Yes, I have noticed that. BlackEyes7 does not own ToS. Namco does, the wonderful people who actually gave me a mildly large role.**

**BE: Why do you all always have to comment on why Namco's better than me? Meh. START!**

_Brrr...it's freezing_, Genis thought, drawing the blankets closer around him. Forcing his eyes to open, he noticed an empty spot next to him. Genis decided Presea was probably waiting on him to get breakfast started. With a sigh, he dragged himself out of the warm blankets. _Man, I didn't know how cold it was without her, _he realized. Running a hand through his disheveled hair, Genis slid his feet into his shoes and exited the tent to find Sheena and Presea. Presea looked less confused and upset than she had last night, while Sheena looked focused as she balanced herself with one hand.

"Good morning," Presea said in a slightly flat voice. Genis smiled, hoping she would cheer up, but Presea kept her gaze unfocused and her face blank. The half elf sighed.

"I'll go start breakfast," he groaned, walking over to the bag that held everyone's food. Sheena got herself upright and sat on a log.

"Don't complain," the ninja snapped, causing Genis to almost drop the eggs. Presea stood up.

"I will...go get some firewood," she told them in a monotone, eyes downcast and sad. Setting down the ingredients, Genis jogged over to her before she reached the woods. He grabbed both her shoulders and turned her around, forcing Presea to look at him.

"What's wrong?" he demanded. She shook her head, eyes softening when her gaze locked with his.

"Nothing. I am alright...just confused. I will be fine after I get the wood and clear my head," she promised before giving him a hug. Genis savored the embrace, and after she pulled away he still felt a tingling sensation where Presea had touched him.

"Okay," he whispered before returning back to the camp site. Everyone was awake, excluding Lloyd.

"It's your turn to wake Lloyd up!" Sheena shouted into Zelos' face.

"No, it's your turn!" he argued.

"It's your turn!"

"Hey guys, why don't I get Lloyd?" Colette giggled, smiling brightly before disappearing into Lloyd's tent. Sheena and Zelos were left with their mouths hanging slightly open, staring at where Colette had been. Genis sighed and got out his ingredients, prepping the meal so when the firewood came he would be ready to cook it. On the edge of the forest, he could barely make out a flash of pink and a large axe hacking away at a tree. Then, with a great boom the huge tree fell and Presea began dragging it over. Returning his attention to the meal, Genis broke the eggs into a bowl and whisked. Before he even knew it, Presea had returned with the wood and was starting the fire. Her eyes were still slightly unfocused, but they looked brighter than before. When breakfast was finished, everyone got their fill and set off yet again for the Tower of Mana. Genis made to walk with Presea, but the ax-girl shook her head.

"What?" Genis asked, confused.

"Walk with your sister. I will be fine, and it's been a while since you spent some time with her. I will have plenty of time with you later Genis, do not worry," the pink-haired girl told him with a small smile.

"O-okay," Genis blurted, surprised. Jogging a bit to catch up with Raine, his sister was a little shocked to see him walking with her, but she covered it up quickly.

"Why aren't you walking with Presea?" she asked, a small amount of emotion leaking through.

"It's been a while since we spent some time together, Sis," Genis told her with a smile that Raine returned.

"Are you nervous?" the older sibling asked seriously.

"Yeah, I'm actually really nervous about this...but I trust your healing arts to keep us all alive Raine," Genis told her, grinning. Raine herself just turned her head to look at him, wearing a grim expression.

"I will try my best, as I know you will too," Raine said before turning her attention back to the dusty road. Genis nodded, smile fading.

"Hey, um, Sis? Do you...uh...like Presea?" he asked awkwardly. The healer smiled, and looked over at Genis.

"I like her. She is a very...strong individual who seems to care very much for you. Presea is also very mature...so it makes me wonder what her real age is. She looks twelve but...she was trapped in that body for who knows how long when she lost her heart," Raine said, tapping her chin.

"If she doesn't want to tell us these things, I will not pry," Genis told her, shrugging. Raine nodded, putting an arm around her brother.

"I know."

The ax-girl watched the scene from afar, her heart softening at the sight of these siblings' bond. _Alicia and I...used to be like that. Before Papa died...before I was experimented on...before Alicia...my little sister...was killed by Regal,_ she thought, pain returning. Presea winced, placing her hand on her cruxis crystal. Even though she had understood that Alicia's death could not have been avoided, it still hurt like a punch in the stomach to think about it. It had been the only reason she had knew her emotions were there when she first regained her heart. The pain and sadness she felt every day was overwhelming, yet she could not show it. Presea hid behind this tough facade, knowing that if she had let her emotions show they would all spill out at once. The anger, the angst, the sadness...it was all so much. Until she started spending time with Genis. The little half elf tried so hard to make her smile, never giving up when she failed to display any happiness. He would try and cheer her up, or entertain her. He would support her when she needed it, or listen when she wanted to talk. Genis was the reason she can bear her life, the only reason she isn't locked up inside herself. Genis hadn't exactly had an easy life either, and the fact he would push through it and try to stay happy for her sake was enough to make her love him completely. _Alicia...was this how you felt about Regal?_ she wondered. The group finished the journey to the Tower of Mana, and Lloyd sighed.

"Man, we gotta climb all those stairs again," he whined, earning a smack from the professor. Rubbing the now sore spot on his head, they ventured into the monument.

"The traps have all been deactivated," Regal pointed out.

"That's because we deactivated them all when we were here the first time," Raine explained. When they reached the top, Sheena stood on the altar and summoned the spirits of light. Both Luna and Aska appeared. Luna appeared to be a young woman lounging in a crescent moon that floated. Her long, wavy green hair was tinged blue at the tips and trailed the ground below where she hovered. Covering her body was a top were two wide strips of ribbon criss-crossing over her chest and a long skirt that was cut shorter in the front to show her dainty bare feet, but was long in the back to trail the ground. Luna wielded a long staff that was topped with a crescent moon identical to the one she lounged in. Aska looked like a large golden bird with two heads, one directly below the other. The tips of his wings were red, and he had no feathers. Aska's tail was made of many long purple strands that looked alive as the wind blew.

"Greetings, pact maker. Are you ready to prove yourself?" Luna asked in an incredibly smooth and hypnotizing voice.

"Yes," Sheena replied firmly. Everyone readied their weapons, waiting for the spirits to announce the start.

"Let us begin," Luna told them before whipping her staff around. Presea charged in on Luna with Zelos and Regal, while Colette, Sheena and Lloyd took on Aska. They were tough opponents indeed. Luna had deadly magic attack that brought a focused ray of light down on its target, and Aska dealt large blows with his powerful wings, knocking members of the group down.

"Eternal Damnation!" Presea shouted. She jumped up high before slamming her axe back down on Luna, causing rocks to rise from the ground and hit her. Then, she quickly jumped back, rising higher into the air before front-flipping and slamming her axe down once more. This time more rocks exploded from the ground. Luna stumbled and fell off her moon, but only a second later the crescent got itself off the ground and over to her, as if by magic. Zelos charged her with quick slashing, and Regal launched himself into the air repeatedly. Luna was losing ground but as was everyone else. Presea was constantly saved from large blows from a huge sword radiating with lightning that would pierce the enemy, or enormous rocks that would spike out of the ground and knock the summon spirit up high. Genis was casting these non-stop to try and protect Presea in any way possible. Raine's healing was helping immensely, and Presea could feel the power return to her arms as Revitalize was cast.

"Eruption!" Zelos cast, making a fountain of lava appear beneath Luna, engulfing her.

"Limited Ray!" Luna shouted, causing a bright beam of light to come down on Presea, knocking the small girl back and causing her to skid across the rough ground. She cried out, and bloody cuts began to appear on her body. Movement became a challenge, and from where she lay she could see rage flashing in Genis' eyes.

"I'll show you your powerlessness! Indignant Judgement!" he cast, using his ultimate move. A large bolt of lightning crashed down from the heavens, followed by a divine light that exploded on Luna. The summon spirit collapsed, defeated. Presea watched Genis sag to the ground, magic drained. She could not find it in her to move anything. Her body felt as if each limb weighed a hundred pounds. Faintly, she heard Raine's shouting and the pain subsided. Energy flooded Presea's body, and she dragged herself over to help Genis up.

"Are you alright?" she yelled, concerned. The sounds of battle drowned out most things so she was shouting as loud as she could.

"Yeah," he tried to shout, but it came out breathy. "I'm just...drained," he said before his eyes rolled back in his skull and he collapsed.

"Presea! Go help the others, I will get Genis!" Raine ordered. Presea had Genis' limp body in her arms, and she stared at Raine in disbelief.

"But-"

"No buts! Trust me, I won't let him die! Now go!" she screamed. Presea reluctantly let go of Genis and returned to the fight. Each swing of her axe felt like all of her anger and pain was flowing out of her and into each attack. In not much time, Aska fell too.

"You have proven yourself. We will lend you our power," Luna told them, before disappearing with Aska into one of Sheena's cards. Presea sighed, knowing the worst was over. She looked around, scanning the group for Genis. Presea finally spotted the mage over by Raine, looking a lot better than before.

"Wait, this was the last mana link. What will happen to the worlds now?" Lloyd asked. As if answering his question, the ground shook violently.

"Everyone, we have to leave!" Sheena shouted. The group rapidly made their way out of the building, and kept running until they were a safe distance away.

"What it that?" Zelos questioned, squinting off into the distance. They could barely make out what looked like a giant tree, growing larger by the second.

"Whoa...is that...the Great Seed?" Genis asked, eyes bulging. The Great Seed was the source of mana for the worlds, and they had believed Cruxis, the organization of angels who had split the worlds apart and started all the exsphere research, were trying to keep the mana away. This was why they had been forging the pacts, to try and break the mana links that held it and release it. Now, the Great Seed was out of control.

"Guys, we need to run!" Raine told them. The whole group sprinted away and soon found Yuan in the forest.

"Yuan, the seed-"

"I know. We need to put a stop to it," Yuan told them.

"Look at what you have done." Kratos appeared out of the forest, taking his place to stand next to Yuan.

"Kratos! What are you doing here?" Yuan exclaimed, jumping away.

"I am here to alert you of the situation. The Great Seed is out of control and Martel is getting engulfed by it," Kratos told them. Colette gasped.

"Martel? The goddess?" she asked, eyes wide. Kratos nodded.

"If we do not act now, Sylvarant will be destroyed and Martel will be absorbed by the tree. It was caused when the mana in Sylvarant fluctuated from the loss of mana links," Kratos explained.

"Who cares how it happened? I wanna know how to stop it!" Lloyd yelled. Yuan shook his head.

"I don't know, no one does. All we do know is it has to be controlled, and soon!" the blue-haired man said.

"Wait...if the mana from Sylvarant's summon spirits is what caused the Seed to go crazy, then why don't we just fire some of the Tethe'alla's summon spirit's mana at it?" Lloyd suggested. Genis sighed.

"We can't do that. The mana isn't focused enought," he explained.

"Although, it's a clever idea coming from you, Lloyd," Raine added.

"What if...the Mana Cannon! We can fire the mana from Tethe'alla's summon spirits at the tree directly with that!" Sheena told them. Yuan snapped his head around to look at her.

"That could work...and save Martel!" he said, looking at Kratos.

"It is not a very absoloute plan, but I see no other option at the moment. I will report back to Lord Yggdrasil, you all must carry out the plan quickly," Kratos told them before revealing his blue wings of light and flying off. Lloyd sighed.

"What is his problem? He could at least help us carry out the plan," Lloyd muttered. Yuan looked back at the group.

"I must return to the Renegades and diagnose the damage that has been done. You all must hurry to the Mana Cannon and execute the plan!" he commanded, before running off. Sheena turned around, looking at the whole group.

"All right guys, lets go!" she yelled, and they sprinted off to the Mana Cannon.

When they reached the room, Sheena approached the large weapon while everyone stood back. Presea noticed Genis had come to stand beside her, and she leaned slightly on him. The whole group watched as Sheena summoned Tethe'alla's summon spirits and commanded them to fire their mana into the Mana Cannon.

"Fire Mana Cannon!" Sheena yelled, and in a brilliant flash of the light the mana was launched at the giant tree. Through the window in the tower they could see the whole scene unfold. A large ball of mana was hurdling at the enormous tree that stretched to the skies.

"Who is that?" Regal asked, pointing. Inside the tree was a young woman with long green hair. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was in pain.

"Martel," Colette whispered. The ball of mana hit Martel directly, and the sound made when the mana connected sounded strangely like a scream. Everyone cheered at a successful mission, and exited the tower in which the Mana Cannon was stored. Presea was so relived; it was all over. Genis wrapped her in a hug, and from the corner of her eye she could see Lloyd doing the same to Colette. Zelos tried to hug Sheena, but only got a smack in return.

"It's...over," she breathed in his ear. Genis squeezed her tighter.

"And we are all in one piece," he told her, and Presea closed her eyes.

**Sorry about the borders, I've been lazy lately. Not much to say except thanks for reading! I hope you liked it and will review :) I got to go, time to upload the next chappy! :)**

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	17. Chapter Seventeen: Vision

**Onto chapter seventeen! Whoohoo! Don't even know why I'm excited but hey! A Gesea fic is always a reason to celebrate, right? **

**Disclaimer: I've learned my lesson, don't want to get dissed to a disclaimer yourself. Tales of Symphonia belongs to Namco. Simple :)**

**I'll shut up now.**

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The Great Seed had been preserved, and now they were all tired an needed to rest. The group set up camp, and Regal had to cook for a change instead of Genis. The half elf sat beside Presea as they ate their supper.

"Regal is a good chef," Genis proclaimed, taking another bite. Presea just shrugged.

"He is good, but you are better. Regal's are all so...formatted. Yours are true recipes learned from necessity, not lesson. I prefer your food," she told him. Genis smiled and nudged her.

"Thanks, Presea. However, I don't think I'd want to cook all the time, and I'm just glad Regal could take my place so I could have a break," he joked before stuffing more food in his mouth. Presea smiled, looking over at the small half elf. They finished their meals and retired to their tent to have some time alone. They sat upright on the ground, with Presea tucked in the crook of his arm.

"Thank you for protecting me earlier, even at your own expense," she told him, looking at Genis with grateful eyes.

"You're welcome. I missed one though...towards the end," he winced, remembering the incident.

"That's alright, your sister is good with healing arts." The two sat a few more moments, before Presea had to break the silence.

"Genis?"

"Mm?"

She pressed her lips to his as Genis turned his head. Even though Genis was shocked, he relaxed quickly, her kisses having a calming effect in him. They were slow, but passionate. Presea hung her arms around Genis' neck and he placed his on her lower back. All of a sudden, Presea pulled away and gasped.

"What is it? Are you okay? Did I do something?" he questioned, scared for what was going on. For a few seconds she didn't respond, only kept her head parallel to the ground and let her hair fall forward and hide her face.

"Presea?" he asked warily. Finally, she raised her head. Her hand was over her cruxis crystal, and her eyes were full of pain. Whether it was emotional or physical he could not tell. She quickly hid it away and forced a small smile.

"I'm okay," Presea told him, removing her hand from her crystal.

"Maybe we should go to sleep...it's getting late," Genis suggested. The pink-haired girl nodded. The two snuggled into the sleeping bag and Genis closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Genis," she said, burrowing further into his arms. He smiled.

"Goodnight, Presea," he whispered, before kissing the top of her head.

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"We are heading to Altessa's!" Lloyd announced, earning a expression of puzzlement from many members.

"Why?" Presea asked calmly, tilting her head to one side.

"We know what the damage was in Sylvarant, but we need to know what happened in Tethe'alla. We should visit Altessa's to see how he fared, and visit Mithos," Lloyd explained. Genis brightened visibly at the possibility of seeing his friend. He had never had a friend that was a half elf, or understood the discrimination that he had gone through. Mithos did though, and the two got very close.

"Yeah, that's a good plan, Lloyd," Genis remarked. Raine smiled.

"You just want to see Mithos," she teased him. The half elf boy just laughed.

"Maybe."

Presea cracked a small grin, happy that Genis had become such good friends with Mithos. She knew he was lonely for a lot of his life, just him and his sister.

"Let's go already!" Zelos shouted, impatient. Sheena wacked him upside the head, and dashed away to her rheiard.

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Opening the small door of Altessa's house, the group went inside. The dwarf seemed surprised to have visitors, and invited them all to sit down.

"What are you all doing here?" Altessa questioned, no hostility in his voice.

"Well, the Great Seed went out of control after the final pact, and Sylvarant suffered much damage. We just wanted to know how Tethe'alla fared," Lloyd explained.

"We haven't had anything major, besides a few earthquakes. In fact, Mithos..." Altessa replied, trailing off at the end and wincing. Genis stood up harshly.

"What happened to Mithos?" he demanded, worry creeping onto his face. The dwarf stood up and began walking to a bedroom door.

"Follow me," he instructed. When the door opened, they found Mithos lying on the bed with bandages peeking out under his clothes. Mithos didn't look much like the Sage siblings did, even though they were both half elves. He had blonde, shoulder-length hair with one piece that was always sidewept. His eyes were also blue, but instead of a light blue like Genis, his were a darker shade. Mithos had his eyes closed and a cloth across his forehead. Tabatha was walking around, organizing her medical supplies.

"Greetings, Lloyd," Tabatha said in a monotone. The doll's green braid swung behind her as she walked, going from one table to the next.

"What happened?" Presea asked, knowing everyone else was thinking the same thing.

"Mithos...saved me," Tabatha told them in her flat voice.

"He and Tabatha were outside when an earthquake struck. Rocks tumbled off the hill above them and were going to land on Tabatha, but Mithos pushed her out of the way and took the blows himself," Altessa explained. The half elf on the bed cracked open one eye slightly.

"Is...that...you guys? Why are you here?" Mithos asked in a hoarse voice.

"Why would you take the rocks instead of that doll, Mithos?" Zelos asked, humor coloring his voice. _I can't believe he finds this funny,_ Genis thought, balling his hands into fists. Mithos just laid his head back down.

"She...reminds me of someone I once knew," he told them hesitantly. "I wonder why there was an earthquake in the first place."

"After we forged the final pact with the summon spirits, the Great Seed went out of control in Sylvarant. It cause quite major damage in some parts," Sheena explained. Genis could have sworn he saw Mithos tighten his fists for a moment.

"Then...we are lucky Tethe'alla only had earthquakes," he said, closing his eyes.

"Yeah."

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Shortly after, the group had been forced to leave the dwarf's house. Presea had been shaken at what had happened to Mithos, but she tried to push it to the back of her mind as she flew on her rheiard. The day was almost gone, they had been doing so much flying. Sighing, she returned her attention to the mountains that were rising in front of her. Once they finally reached a spot they could camp at, the group landed. As Presea took a few steps on the ground, her cruxis crystal burned and she brought her hands to it so no one could see. Staggering, Presea focused on not falling over and leaned on her axe. She shut her eyes and eventually gave out. Presea saw Yggdrasil, leader of Cruxis, standing before her in a vision.

_"Presea, stay away from Genis if you do not want him to get hurt," Yggdrasil told her._

_"Why should I?" she growled, not wanting to be bossed around by the older angel._

_"Because if you don't I will kill him and all of your friends," he threatened. Shocked, Presea gasped and put a hand over her mouth. After a moment, she removed her hand and nodded, restraining tears._

_"Alright."_

Presea was pulled out of her vision suddenly, and slowly she returned to the real world. Faintly she could hear Genis.

"Presea! Presea, what happened?" Genis yelled, but to her it sounded like she was underwater and it was being muffled. Forcing an eye open, Presea realized she was laying on the ground with Genis leaning over her. The mage was obviously relieved she was awake, but concern and fear was still written across his features. It was not the first time this had happened, she had had a vision from Yggdrasil yesterday night with Genis. That time though, he only said one thing. _Stay away from him._ Now she understood what had to be done, and even though it broke her heart, Genis' well-being came first.

"I'm fine," she told him, surpised she could keep her voice steady. Inside, Presea wanted to break down and cry, but if she did that she knew she'd never get Genis to leave. The ax-girl sat up, all of her energy back and no pain at all. Picking up her axe, she started to leave to help set up, but Genis grabbed her arm.

"Are you sure?" he asked, the sincerity and care for her making her heart ache. Despite all this, Preseas managed to keep her face blank and voice steady.

" Yes. Now please, go help the others and forget about me," she asked him in a flat voice. Confusion appeared on Genis' face and hurt flashed across his eyes briefly. _Stop making this so hard,_ Presea cursed silently.

"I will never forget about you, Presea," Genis promised, before leaving. Presea was using all of her self control to keep a blank face as he walked away. She spent the rest of the time before dinner setting up camp and thinking of a way around what Yggdrasil had warned, but she found no other option. After supper was eaten, she invited Genis to come walk with her, wanting to get him away from the group. He readily agreed, going over to her. They stopped at an outcropping in which the moonlight shone upon, making the area seem to glow. Presea made sure they were far enough out the others wouldn't hear or see. Genis looked over and smiled at her.

"The moonlight is beautiful," he told her. His grin faltered as she lowered her head, not looking him in the eyes. _I must remain calm. I will not have Genis pay for my weakness_, she thought.

"What's wrong?" Genis asked, worry and fear evident in his tone. Presea fought the lump that had risen in her throat, and finally responded.

"Genis, you must leave the world regeneration group," she told him quietly.

"What? Why?" Genis yelled in shock. Presea turned to face him with an icy gaze.

"You are a child. You hold back our group from our goal. You will never be strong enough to come along, and we will certainly fail if you come. You get in our way," Presea said calmly with a coldness to her voice. She fought the hot tears that tried to form, and swallowed the lump in her throat that was growing bigger. Genis' eyes widened.

"What...I don't understand. But...what about us? Forever?" he choked, obviously fighting his own tears. Presea barely held herself together. His eyes were so full of hurt, it felt like someone stabbed her heart. Looking straight ahead instead of at Genis, she finally answered.

"I don't love you, and I do not wish to see you again. Leave me alone," Presea lied sternly, while inside she was dying. When Presea heard silence, she turned around. The half elf was standing there, tears running down his face and hitting the soil.

"Go," she tried to say harshly, but her voice wavered. Presea turned her head away to look straight ahead yet again. _What have I done? _she asked herself. After hearing his running footsteps fade away, she sank down on her knees and let free all the tears she had been holding back. They streamed down her face steadily, sorrow overtaking her.

"I'm so sorry Genis...I'm so sorry. I love you so much, but I can't let Yggdrasil hurt you. What...what did I do?" she cried to no one, her pained scream piercing the still night. "I love you...Genis," she mumbled, dropping her head to the ground. Wet droplets fell off her face, hitting the soil silently.

"I knew it!" she heard a voice yell. Surprised, she got up and turned around with insane speed, seeing Genis standing before her, a triumphant expression on his face. Presea wiped her face with a shaking hand, not believing what she saw.

"What...you...why...how did you know?" she asked, not knowing what to do.

"I know that the Presea I know would not say things like that. Your voice quivering confirmed my suspicions, and I ran behind a tree to spy on you. The bigger question is: Why did you do it?" he asked softly. Presea touched her cruxis crystal, deciding on telling him.

"Yggdrasil...kept appearing to me in visions, warning me to stay away from you. He said he would...kill you if I didn't. I knew that you wouldn't leave unless I said those things..." she explained before her eyes went misty again. Genis came up to her and wrapped Presea in his warm embrace. Shocked, the pink-haired girl only stood there for a minute.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear, and Genis pulled her closer.

"It wasn't your fault. Yggdrasil will be defeated in the end, I promise. We will take care of him together," he told her softly, before pulling back. Presea watched as he slowly leaned towards her, closing the mere centimeters that separated them. Their lips met, a slow kiss. It wasn't lust of any sort. It wasn't intense. It was just a sweet moment being shared between the two. When they broke apart, Presea buried her face into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again. instead of responding, Genis grabbed one of her hands and placed it on his shoulder. Presea took her head away, watching what he was doing. Genis grasped on of her hands and put his other on her hip.

"Have you ever slow danced before, Presea?" he asked, a small smile lighting up his face. She stared blankly back at him for a moment, and then shook her head.

"Slow dancing. A type of dance normally preformed with a partner," she recited, slipping into old habits.

"Then I'll show you. Just follow me. One step forward, one step backward." Presea was a little confused at first, but once she got the hang of it they were gliding around, and Presea got to twirl once or twice. A smile slowly stretched across her lips. _I've done this once before, with Daddy, _she remembered, no pang in her chest as she thought of her deceased father. She had Genis now, and no one was ever going to get in the way of that again. _I will kill you myself, Yggdrasil, before you lay a finger on him._ Looking up into his beautiful blue eyes as they danced, the world was forgotten. It was just him. Reaching up a hand, she carresed the soft curves of his face and brushed the silvery lock of hair out of the way. Presea ran a finger along the tip of his pointed ear, tracing a line back down to his shoulder. She brought herself closer, so she was leaning on Genis. Presea laid her head on his shoulder, and he released her hand. Acting on instinct, she placed her arms around his neck loosly, and Genis softly rested his hands on her hips. Presea knew that they didn't need music to dance such a heartfelt syle; they only needed eachother. Not bothering to resist, she felt Genis pull the ties from her hair, and felt the easy breeze blow her pink locks lightly. Their motion had slowed gradually until she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Scooping her up bridal style, Genis returned to camp. Everyone had retired to their tents by now, and Genis slipped inside his own. Presea stirred, but did not wake. Taking off her boots and gloves, he laid her down on the sleeping bag.

"Goodnight, Presea," he mumbled to her before joining her in blissful slumber.

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**Hehehe! Fluff monster! :D You'll probably notice the chapters getting lengthier as this continues, because, hint hint, chapter eighteen is even longer :) I want feedback for this chapter; was it stupid or sweet? Reviews are always appreciated:) Fluff monsters says "BAI,"**

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	18. Chapter Eighteen: Forcystus

**Okay, some special announcements! First off, this chapter will be from first person view! :D meaning I will use "I" and "my" instead of the cheating third person I usually do. Second, this chapter and the next few were inspired by** **Zefie Kirasagi's Gesea trilogy Warmth of Ice. It's awesome, very much a shame it was discontinued. You should be able to find the similarities, and for those of you who care I have checked with Zefie and she's okay with it:) Quick review answer and disclaimer:**

**diety: thanks:) Don't worry this book isn't ending, in fact here's an update for ya!**

**Disclaimer: Namco has all the rights to ToS, not me. If I owned ToS, Genis and Presea would get married. That's probably why I'm just the crazed fan girl and Namco still has all the rights. Sigh.**

**PS I'm sorry about my borders they don't always show up. I hope they show up this time**

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**Presea's POV**

I awoke to the sound of soft, even breaths being pulled in and out with a rhythm. Cracking my eyes open slightly, I saw the sunlight streaming into the tent and flooding my sight with it's bright rays.

"Ugh," I mumbled, watching the room return to normal as my pupils contracted. My arm was draped around the young half elf beside me, and I removed it carefully. Last night's events came rushing back at me all at once. It had been...sweet. I cherished those times, when I got to experience something that I hadn't since my daddy was alive. So many things have vanished with time, and it's nice to get some things that used to make me smile back. I still remember when Alicia was alive, I would smile all the time. However, since my heart was restored...I have found it difficult to put even a small grin on my face. Genis is the only person who can normally make me smile. Sighing, I rose from the sleeping bag, again careful not to wake Genis. It was difficult at the moment not to view him as a child, but then I remembered I was his age as well. I had to keep playing that, because if he ever found out how old I really was...I might lose the only person I have. The pain I'd gotten so used to, the ice cold knife stabbing my heart, would come rushing back with a vengeance if he left me. Shaking my head to push away the unwelcome thoughts, I quickly pulled on my boots and gloves and rushed outside for some fresh air. I saw Sheena doing her morning exercises in the grass. She and I were the only ones who woke up early on a regular basis, because I had an internal clock from my time as a lumberjack to wake early and Sheena had been trained to do so. Mumbling a good morning, I made way to lay on the grass. I closed my eyes and breathed in my surroundings. The soft chirp of birds flitting in the woods filled my ears and the musty smell of the pine trees surrounded me. The grass was soft beneath my fingers and the breeze blew coolly across my face. I sucked a deep breath into my lungs and exhaled, reveling in the outdoors.

"Hi!" I heard a feminine voice chirp. I quickly opened my eyes to see a blonde girl with bright blue eyes standing over me, her face a few inches from mine.

"Hello, Colette," I greeted her, turning my gaze up to the clear blue sky. Sitting beside me, Colette spoke.

"What are you doing, Presea?" she asked.

"Just enjoying nature," I responded contently, closing my eyes again.

"Yeah, it is very nice. The soft breeze, the cushioned grass, the sound of the birds and the smell of the forest. It's all part of the world, and I love this world. That's why...I wanted to protect it," Colette said, sadness tinging her voice.

"You did Colette, and you still are," I told her, hearing her sigh.

"Thank you, Presea." A few more moments of silence passed before a new voice rang out.

"Hello hunnies! The Great Zelos Wilder is here, feel free to 'oo' and 'ah,'" Zelos proclaimed. Sheena, who had been staying quiet the whole time, sprang up to hit him. Her kick sent him flying, and the two began bickering like usual. Even though Sheena acts like she hates him, I think she may secretly have feelings for Zelos. A heavy sigh erupted from Colette and I, and I decided to go return to lounging on the grass. It helped me forget all the pain in my life and focus on all the good things in this world. Martel forbid I get any peace or quiet.

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**Genis' POV**

As I walked outside into the bright sunshine, I looked around for Presea. A slight breeze blew a lock of my silver hair into my eyes, and i brushed it away, hoping that my hair had not shifted from over my ears. Sheena was chasing Zelos with Volt, trying to zap him. It was quite a comical sight, and I smiled. I spotted Colette a short distance away sitting on the grass, and then I found Presea. She looked like an angel, and not the kind of Cruxis angels, but a legit angel. With her long pink hair flowing underneath her back and out to the sides as she lay on the lush grass, and her arms spread out to the sides. Presea's face was content as she lay on the grass, the breeze brushing her bangs onto her closed lids. The flawless pale white skin contrasted the bright green of the grass, and Presea's mouth was set in a soft line that was not frowning, but not smiling. Just...content. I knelt beside her, a grin plastered on my face. With my index finger, I smoothed away her bangs from her face. Presea's lips tugged down a bit at the corners and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Can I not just lay here without interruption?" she mumbled, never opening her eyes.

"Sorry, I just thought you might like some company," I told her. Surprise overtook her features and her beautiful eyes I loved so much opened, shining a special light blue. Presea sat up quickly, and a rosy blush spread across her cheeks.

"Genis! I apologize, I thought you were someone else," she explained, embarrassed. I laughed.

"That's alright. Turn around, you have some stuff caught in your hair." Entangled in her pink strands were multiple leaves and blades of grass. Presea raised her hands, trying to pull them out but she couldn't reach the full length of her hair.

"Turn around, I'll get it," I offered, and she willingly complied. Sitting on her heels, I combed my fingers through her soft hair. It looked like a vibrant bubblegum color with the sun shining on it. Pulling out the different plant parts, I smoothed her hair after they were all removed.

"Done!" I declared, smiling. I didn't even need something good to happen to smile; I just smiled when she was around. Presea's life was so cruel, I was going to smile enough for the both of us now. She turned around, her small smile lighting up her eyes.

"Thank you." Standing up, Presea started to walk back to the tent. I assumed she was just going to fix her hair and get her belt. I was ready for the day, and taking a quick glance around I noticed everyone was up...except for Lloyd.

"Hey Colette, is Lloyd still asleep?" I asked the perky girl. She grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll go wake him up," she said with a sigh. I cut her off, knowing she had had to deal with that chore the past twenty times.

"That's okay, I'll get him. What are best friends for?" I told her, and Colette laughed.

"Okay, thanks." The blonde skipped off, going over to help Regal with breakfast. I strode purposefully to Lloyd's tent, contemplating how I would wake him up. Perhaps a spell that would do minimum damage...that might work. Opening the tent flaps, I saw the sixteen year old boy sprawled across his bed sideways, his red overcoat off. He wore a tank top that revealed his buffed arms, trained from all of his combat.

"Hey Lloyd, wake up," I said loudly, trying a simple tactic.

"Idonwanna...mshwannasleepsz," he mumbled, burying his face in his pillow. Gripping my kendama, I prepared to resort to my original idea.

"Lloyd, if you don't get up now you're gonna be a lot more uncomfortable," I warned.

"Wha..."

"Aqua Edge!"

Lloyd was sent flying out of the tent with a spray of water, landing on his feet only because of his exsphere-enhanced reflexes. Water dripped off his body, but somehow even wet his brown hair remained standing straight up.

"Genis...I'm gonna kill you!" he yelled, furious.

"Uh-oh," I muttered before running for my life. Lloyd sprinted after me, determined to catch me. I knew I had to think quick, because if Lloyd is anything that's determined. We sped through the camp, earning interesting glances from some of our friends. I spotted Presea coming out from the tent, looking confused. I plotted quickly before deciding that a tree was my best option. My small lead ahead of Lloyd was enough for me to scramble up a tree before he arrived. Lloyd knew he couldn't climb trees, and he sighed. Then, he burst out laughing.

"You win this one, Genis," Lloyd told me with a laugh. I laughed along with him, climbing down from the tree. Lloyd came over and hooked me in a headlock, rubbing his fist quickly across the top of my head.

"Ow! Lloyd!" I whined, and he released me. The swordsman just grinned, nudging me in the side.

"Well played," he complimented, and I laughed. Lloyd walked off into his tent to get the rest of his clothes and I sat down with the others to eat breakfast. Presea sat next to me, her hair tied up into her signature pigtails yet again.

"Why was Lloyd chasing you?" Presea asked after swallowing her bite.

"I volunteered to wake him up."

"I see."

As breakfast carried on, Presea and I found ourselves in a very involved conversation. We didn't stop talking until Lloyd made an announcement.

"Today, we are going back to the Iselia Ranch. For one, we have to rescue some people that are being held prisoner there. For two, Forcystus is over there," Lloyd explained. I clenched my hands into fists on each side.

"I'm in," I told Lloyd.

"Me too!" Colette chimed. I looked over at Presea, whose eyes were a dark shade of blue I'd never seen on her before. Looking closer, I saw rage inside of her cerulean orbs. Her whole body was tense and fists were balled tightly at her sides.

"I am coming. The Desians at the Iselia Ranch...hurt Genis. And...we do not need any more victims like him," Presea said, choosing each word carefully and wincing. I touched one of her fists and she relaxed, wrapping a hand around mine. Presea's grip was firm, but still carried its usual warmth. One by one the rest of the group agreed to go, and we all got onto the rheiards. Anxiety filled me, like a monster devoring me from the inside. The closer we got to the ranch, the faster my heart beat. We were going back to the place where I was tortured, where Presea was forced to try and kill me, to where Lloyd had once been held captive...there were too many unpleasant links to that place. Looking over at Presea, I noticed her knuckles were white as they gripped the handlebars. I dreaded the place we were going to, but I also couldn't wait to get revenge on Forcystus. Get ready, because here we come.

** ~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~**

**Presea's POV**

The Iselia Ranch. Memories came back, hitting me with full force. Rage fueled my muscles, giving me strength past what I already possessed. Slashing through Desians, we waded through the ranch until we found the area where the prisoners were. All too familiar...this was the very place Genis was held in. My small body trembled with anger. I felt something warm on my shoulder, and looked back to find Genis' hand resting there.

"It's alright, Presea," he reassured me softly. My tense muscles gave way, slumping into the normal position. The effect he had on me...was nothing short of remarkable. Charging through the area, we found a spot where a Desian was beating a prisoner with a whip. The recently faded burning came back with a ferocity, and the guard turned around. I grabbed him by his neck, my strength crushing his throat.

"Where's the switch to release the prisoners?" I growled, taking charge once again. The soldier choked and raised a shaking hand to point at a glowing button.

"Presea...you can put him down now," Colette noted, fear in her tone. I meant to toss him lightly aside, but my cruxis crystal induced strength sent him plowing through four walls.

"Oops."

Desian forgotten, we trudged over to the button, and Lloyd slammed it. All the cell doors came open at once, and the ragged prisoners stumbled out, their dirty, gray clothes hanging off their frail figures. They wandered around in confusion, wondering what had happened.

"You all can go now! Run!" Lloyd called, and we were overrun with chaos. People were pushing to get out, and an annoying alarm blared in their ears.

"We have to spilt up! " Raine yelled, trying to be heard over the loud commotion. "Half of us must go disable the alarm and keep the doors from shutting, and the other half must carry on and defeat Forcystus!" I grabbed Genis' hand, knowing it was a selfish request but not wanting to get separated from him. Lloyd nodded.

"Okay, Presea...you'll come with me to fight Forcystus," he decided, running a red-gloved hand through his hair.

"As well as Genis, and Raine, and Zelos," Lloyd concluded. Both Genis and I breathed a heavy sigh, relieved at not being spilt.

"Man, this is gonna be boring," Sheena sighed, stretching.

"Why can't I come, Lloyd?" Colette asked.

"I don't want you getting hurt, Colette," he explained. "We'll be back soon."

"I will protect them. Lloyd, go on," Regal told the red clad swordsman. Reaching a hand up, I tugged at a pigtail in order to tighten it up a bit. Stange, how my hair seemed to grow out instead of down.

"C'mon guys, let's get this show on the road!" Zelos exclaimed, running for the doors. We followed closely, and the other team set off to deal with the machines. Lights went past me in a blur as we ran, preparing to take on yet another Desian leader. My vision went fuzzy, and Yggdrasil's figure faded in and out of my vision.

_"Presea, you are a fool. You think you can protect him? Do you really think he will want to be with you when he finds out your real age?"_ Yggdrasil questioned. I had begun to slow my pace, slipping into the back of the pack.

_Stay out of my head!_ I yelled to him. Everything around me had become to blurry to be seen, and Yggdrasil kept fading in and out, vividly appearing and then fading, then appearing vividly again. The room seemed to spin around me, and I stopped my run completely. Unable to see anything, I closed my eyes and dropped on a knee. I think I may have screamed, but it was impossible to tell what I was doing.

_"Is what you're doing truly the right thing, Presea? I see you've ignored my orders to keep away from him, and the closer you get to me the closer you get to your punishment. Failure,"_ Yggdrasil spat. This time, my firey temper overran my better judgement to keep my cool.

_"STAY OUT OF MY HEAD!"_ I shrieked aloud, holding my gloved hands over my ears. My eyes were squeezed shut, and I waited for Yggdrasil's image to fade completely before attempting to open them. Upon doing so, I noticed I could see again. Everyone was looking at me, fearful expressions on their faces. I stood up slowly, using my large axe as support.

"Presea, what happened?" Raine asked.

"Yggdrasil...invaded my mind," I told them, and I could have sworn I saw something like guilt flash in Zelos' eyes.

"What did he say?" Lloyd coaxed gently, and I shook my head.

"Nothing important."

Lies were something I was good at. It's not hard to convey any unwanted emotions when you spend a considerable amount of time not having any. Lying, I believed, was necessary. I did not need them to worry about me, and after convincing Genis I was alright, we set off for Forcystus yet again.

** ~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~**

"Lloyd Irving, we meet again," Forcystus boomed.

"Ahem, I believe I am here too," Zelos commented. Forcystus shot him an annoyed look, and regained his composure.

"You inferior beings. Do you really believe you can defeat me? Why not give up on your journey right now? Your ideals are demented," Forcystus sneered.

"What's demented is your brain! How can you believe a system in which everyone is sacrificed. It's sick," Raine spat, taking a battle stance. I followed suit, lifting my axe. This man would pay for what he had done to Genis and Lloyd's village. Instead of being intimidated, the teal-haired man let loose a resonating laugh.

"Are you going to fight me? Have you forgotten, I am not entirely human? You will certainly lose," the Desian leader jeered.

"How can we forget you are not human when your ideals are so messed up? We will win. For Iselia. For the worlds. For Martel," Lloyd countered cooly. Forcystus smirked.

"Fine, let's see how tough you really are," he told them sarcastically. Two floating mechanical devices came up next to him, no doubt to help him kill us. I gripped my axe tighter, ready to slaughter him. Revenge ran in my veins, yearing to get its share.

"Let's go!" Lloyd rushed in on Forcystus, only to get zapped by a robot.

"Everyone! Take out the robots first!" Raine yelled, and the once quiet room rang with the clink of metal and explosions of magic.

"Roger!" Zelos replied, casting a spell. I targeted one of the annoying assitants, clashing my silver axe into its gold exterior. A spark of lightning shot me back onto the ground, and looking over I saw Lloyd lying not to far on the ground as well.

"Guys, we have to use long range on these bots, otherwise they'll just zap us," Genis explained. I growled, exasperated. Lloyd could use Demon Fang, but what for me? I didn't do long range. Ignoring what he said, I charged in.

"Presea what are you doing?" Zelos yelled. I ignored them, and slammed my weapon into the nearest enemy. Instead of withdrawing it, I held it there, waiting for the zap. Sure enough, blue electricity flickered up into my axe, traveling to me and wrapping me in its painful grasp. However, I stood my ground, gritting my teeth.

"Presea! Get back!" I heard Genis yell. Shaking my head, I explained.

"Dis...trac...tion," I managed out, pain becoming unbearable. No, I had to stay here. All of a sudden, the searing sensation stopped and I staggered back, gasping. The team had had enough time to take it down while I held it in place, and now it was only down to Forcystus and the other robot. Forcystus had been trying to wear us down with wing magic and cannon blasts, but it seemed the group was managing just fine. My chest heaved up and down, and a stinging feeling lingered on my skin. As I made my way to the next one, Zelos stood out his sword and shook his head.

"Presea, I know you don't like to wait, but that was too risky. Believe me, when these things are gone you get first dibs on ripping off Forcystus' head," he told me wryly. Returning his concentration to the battle, I stood in the back, unblinking. I did this sometimes when I was angry, but it was more unsettling than frightening. After what felt like years, the robot lay in tatters on the ground. With a loud scream, I dragged my axe on the ground as I charged Forcytsus. When I was right in front of him, I brought it out of the ground in a large crescent, catching his chin and sending him flying. Forcystus picked himself up quickly, raising his cannon. Knowing what this meant, I slammed the tip of my blade into the ground and brought up a force field.

"Earthly Protection!" I yelled. The green sphere swallowed me, and when the blinding blue light erupted from Forcystus' cannon, it did nothing but hit my force field and fade. While he prepared to charge another spell, Zelos, Lloyd, and I all ran in to beat up on him. Cuts appeared on him, but instead of red blood it was green.

"Gross! What are you eating?" Zelos yelled in disgust, before slashing his sword into Forcystus.

"I won't...be...defeated...so easily! Cyclone!" the Desian commander screamed, and I drew in a sharp breath. This...was going to hurt. A tornado of sharp leaves wrapped me and Lloyd up inside of it, slicing into our skin every millisecond. After it faded, tons of miniture cuts covered me and Lloyd, as well as many tears in our clothes. Raine was on it in an instant, healing our wounds. Not wasting the time to look down, I prayed the more important areas were covered and jumped in the air before flipping and slamming it back down on Forcystus.

"No...impossible!" he yelled, falling to the ground in a bloody heap, light fading from his robotic parts.

"It's...over," Lloyd stated, drawing heavy breaths. His red suit had many cuts throughout it but he had plenty of coverage. Looking down at myself, I found that (much to my embarrassment) that there were more slits on my clothes, and it revealed large parts of my thighs, back, stomach, and some chest. Luckily, the only parts of my chest that was showing was just a little bit of the white cloth that covered my chest because the strap above it had been cut away.

"Umm...Raine? I have...a small issue," I told her, holding up my dress with my hand. Genis blushed terribly and averted his eyes, but Zelos just whistled.

"Man, you should wear it like that everyday!" he joked, and I slapped him.

"For Sheena," I told him before walking away towards Raine. Lloyd scratched the back of his head like he usually did when he felt awkward or nervous.

"Yeah, do we have anything for her, Professor?" he asked timidly, just as embarrassed about this as Genis was. I myself was battling a blush. Raine looked me over and frowned. She reached into the bag, pulling out a length of black cloth and leggings.

"I think I can wrap this around the more damaged areas, and you can put on the leggings underneath because I can't wrap your skirt. Is that alright?" she asked, even though we both knew there was nothing else that could be done at the moment. Pulling on the black leggings, Raine began to wrap the cloth around my waist, stomach and chest. Securing my belt over top, I felt better, but slightly awkward. It felt like wearing what the ninja's in Mizuho wore, but at least I was decent.

"Thank you, Raine," I told her, and everyone stopped staring at the ground. Genis stared at me like I was from another planet. A rosy blush heated up my cheeks, and I got slightly self conscious.

"Does it look that strange?" I asked, and Genis shook his head.

"No, it's just...different," he told me.

"Say...what do you suppose Forcytsus' gun is made of?" Raine asked, a spark lighting up her eyes. Lloyd groaned.

"Oh no, she's in Ruin-Mode!" he gasped in horror. Being a teacher, Raine was often curious about ruins and artifacts, so when she went into her obsessional mode Lloyd called it "Ruin-Mode." Genis' eyes widened and he ran up to his sister, grabbing her wrists.

"If I look at it, will you promise not to go crazy?" he pleaded. Raine scowled.

"Why can't I look at him myself?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"Because if we let you do that, you'll never let us dispose of his body," Genis replied in a as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Raine sighed.

"Fine."

I watched as Genis approached the fallen Desians' body, wearing bored expression. He knelt down and inspected the technology that was mounted on Forcystus' arm. In one swift motion, Forcystus' eye snapped open and he grabbed Genis by the throat.

"Genis!" we all yelled in unison. I saw hatred glowing in the Desian leader's eyes. Frozen by shock, none of us moved. It was a decision I regretted heavily in the future.

"I'm not leaving...without making...you suffer. Take this curse...with you!" Forcystus choked. Genis gasped and clawed at Forcystus' strong grasp around his neck. Bringing his cannon to Genis' head, he fired it. Instead of it being a large ball of dangerous mana, it was a soft white light that absorbed itself into the small half-elf's body. Forcystus fell back to the ground again, and Genis staggered backwards, swaying.

"Genis!" I screamed, finalling finding it in me to go running over to him. "Are you alright?" He nodded, but his eyes were much lighter than usual. They were so light they were almost white, and he stared at me strangly, like...he desired something.

"Genis...stop staring at me like that," I told him. Genis blinked and his eyes returned to their normal color.

"I'm sorry. Let's go meet up with the others now," he said, obviously shaken. I nodded, and he slipped an arm around my waist for support. What could that curse Forcystus mentioned be?

** ~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~\/~**

**I know, a curse is rather unimaginative, but just wait. It's may not be what you think...**

**Anyone catch the Warmth of Ice reference at the end? They will be more noticeable in the upcoming chapters, so just make sure you know that these upcoming things were INSPIRED. Not much to say, like always. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you liked it! You know the drill by now: leave a review and I will leave a response. Longer review = longer response :) See ya at the next chapter,**

**BE**


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Curse of Forcystus

**Yay! Reviews! I lub them :) Okay, sorry I disappeared again for a few days, school is horrible. **

**AnriMia24: Wow, thank you so much! Haha I agree, Forcystus is NOT a favorite. It took me like 20 tries to beat him! Tehe, gotta love the fluff monster:) **

**diety: Thank you! And no worries, here's the next chapter:)**

**Okay, for this chapter, of you don't see any similarities between my story and Warmth of Ice then you need to see a doctor. That is my slightly twisted warning for you, like I said these chapters were inspired by Zefie Kirasagi's work and I have contacted and talked to her about it. Quick disclaimer:**

**All rights of ToS go to Namco. All hail the all powerful Namco! *bows***

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Sheena raised an eyebrow when she saw Presea.

"Trying out a new fashion?" she questioned, and the pink-haired girl blushed slightly.

"No...in the battle, Lloyd and I got caught up in a rather deadly attack...and my clothes didn't fare as well as Lloyd's," she explained, gesturing to the tiny cuts all over Lloyd's suit. Everyone exchanged words, concluding that the mission had gone successfully. Presea looked at Genis standing next to her. He looked tense; his arms were clenched at his sides and his jaw was set. _He is fighting something...but what? _she wondered. The group began to make their way out of the ranch, and before they got on the rheiards Presea pulled his arm.

"What's wrong?" she whispered, but Genis just shook his head.

"I...don't know," he told softly. Before Presea could question him further, a loud bang rang out. A metal door leading to the ranch burst open, Forcystus stumbling out.

"Not you again!" Lloyd yelled.

"Lloyd Irving...if I'm going to die, you are going to die with me!" Forcystus shouted, raising his cannon. A large blast exploded from it, and Lloyd crossed his swords in an attempt to block it.

"No!" a pure voice rang out. Colette jumped in front of the blast, taking the blow. Forcytus crumpled to the ground again, hopefully for the last time.

"Colette! Are you alright?" Lloyd screamed, turning around to hatefully stab Forcystus through the stomach.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said in a small voice. Everyone gasped. Colette's sleeve was torn off, and underneath it was her whole shoulder and upper arm...crystallized.

"Colette, what is that?" Raine asked, taken aback. Colette attempted to cover it with her hand, but it wasn't enough. Lloyd tried to approach her, but she only yelled at him.

"No! Stay away! Don't look at me!" she screamed.

"Colette...how long has it been like this?" Lloyd pried gently. Tears fell from Colette's face.

"A...while. It's disgusting, isn't it? And it just keeps spreading," she whimpered, cringing. Lloyd shook his head.

"No, it's not disgusting. Colette, you will be fine. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to my dad's house and figure this out," Lloyd told her. Colette nodded slightly, and stood up. The blonde swayed and her eyes closed before she fell to the ground. Lloyd caught her and almost started to hyperventilate.

"Professor!" he yelled, looking at Raine desperately.

"It's alright, she just fainted. Now, let's go find a place to stay for the night and go see Dirk in the morning," Raine said, getting on her rheiard. Sighing in defeat, Lloyd complied and the group made their way for the closest town.

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After buying a new outfit for Presea, the group broke apart to do different things. Colette slept soundly in the inn, while Regal, Lloyd and Raine went around town to stock back up on items. Zelos went around to hit on girls, and Sheena took responsibility of getting upgraded armor and weapons for everyone. The only ones left back at the inn (excluding Colette) were Presea and Genis. Genis had claimed he didn't feel well, and Presea, of course, had reassured the others she could take care of him. The young ax-girl brought out a tray of Ozette tea, something that had always made her feel better when she was sick. Genis sat on the couch with an unfocused gaze and very tense form. Handing him a cup, he relaxed slightly.

"Thanks," he muttered, not drinking it. Presea picked up hers and took a sip, watching him wearily.

"Genis...what is wrong? I know something is bothering you. Tell me," she prodded. He looked up at her, his eyes shifting back into the whitish-blue color that she found frightening. He set down his tea, and stood up. Presea did the same, but was starting to feel very scared. He took a few steps over to her, and she backed up until she was against the cold, rough wall. That look in his eyes was...lust.

"Pre...sea...please...forgive...me," he choked out, standing only a few inches away.

"Genis...what are you-!" Her question was cut short as he came up and kissed her passionately. He had his arms on the wall next to her, and even though Presea could have broken this hold easily she was afraid of pushing too hard and hurting him. She kept her eyes open and waited for it to end, and after a few seconds he broke away, both panting. Genis stumbled back, his eyes fading into that deeper blue that widened in shock. Presea kept her back pressed to the wall, chest heaving up and down in fear.

"Presea! I'm so sorry...I don't know what that was! It...it's not me! I...I'm so sorry," he rambled, stumbling back further. The pink-haired girl stood back and watched, unsure of what to do.

"Do you think...Forcystus did this?" Presea asked, pulling herself away from the wall. Genis shrugged.

"Maybe...and probably. But...a curse to give someone lust? That can't be it. I don't know what is going on," he cried, placing his head in his hands. Presea came over and gave him a hug, much to Genis' surprise.

"Do not worry, Genis. It will be alright. Perhaps you should go rest, it might make you feel better," she suggested. The half elf sighed.

"Okay," he agreed, holding Presea's hand as they went up the stairs to their room. Once they were comfortably laying in the bed, Genis finally took his time to speak.

"Presea...I am scared. What if...I do something to you? I can already feel it building up inside, threatening to take over me. I...wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you," he admitted softly. Presea brought a hand to his cheek.

"I wouldn't let you do something you would regret so much, Genis. However, I have an idea. You seemed to be back to yourself after it had been...taken care of. So...do you think you would be more comfortable if that's what we did?" she asked hesitantly.

"What...I don't want to use you. Never," he protested in shock.

"Genis, you aren't using me. I'm okay with it.. Just remember, I love you," she told him, brushing her lips against his. Genis held back at first, but relaxed into the kiss after a moment or two. (**A/N: I hate writing about making out, so just insert your own french kissing/ makeout scene here. But that's all they do, don't get frisky on me) **After it had ended, Genis sighed and wrapped his arms around Presea.

"Thank you," he muttered, slipping farther and farther into sleep.

"You are welcome," Presea whispered before falling asleep herself.

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Presea awoke to a scary sight. Genis was shivering.

Shivering so intensely the bed was shaking.

"Genis?!" she gasped, touching his skin and feeling its coldness seep into her body. She jumped out of the bed, looking at the half elf from afar.

"P-P-Pr-r-es-sea...it's s-so c-c-cold. M-m-make it s-s-stop," he pleaded, shaking worse.

"RAINE! SHEENA! ANYONE! HELP!"

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Okay, now you see what I mean. Should I make a disclaimer For Zefie? All rights to relations of Warmth of Ice go to Zefie Kirasagi. There :) So...what did you think? Leave answer in a review please! Onto the next chappy,

BE


	20. Chapter Twenty: Imbalance

**Okay, hopefully this will be a little more original from here on out. Enjoy after disclaimer (one of these days the well's gonna run dry AMD I'm gonna have boring disclaimers. Oh wait...I already do.)**

**Tales of Symphonia is allllll Namco's. I'm just the rabid fan girl with the GameCube controller. **

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Genis shivered in his bed while Raine ran her diagnosis. He could see Presea in the corner, hyperventilating. He hoped Raine would figure this out soon, because it was not pleasant. It felt like he was standing outside in the snows of Flanoir with nothing on. He was literally freezing.

"Genis...you should have been killed by now. Your body temperature has dropped to thirty-eight degrees; your insides should have frozen," Raine told him in shock. Genis couldn't talk clearly, he was too cold. So he tried to mutter what few words he could.

"F-f-fix...it-t-t? C-c-curs-s-se," he stammered, forcing his frozen jaw to move.

"I don't know...it probably is Forcystus' curse. What is the curse exactly, though? None of my healing magic will work, and we need to fix this fast. We already have Colette to take care of, and now this!" Raine exclaimed in exasperation.

"Raine...I am scared as well. However, please try and calm down. I'm sure there is a way to fix this, but we must figure out how this curse is working first. Perhaps...Dirk will know? We are going there anyways," Presea proposed. Raine sighed.

"You're right. Even so, we can't even travel with him like this. A way to cure this coldness...even temporarily would be useful," Raine told her, gripping her staff. Presea nodded.

"Raine, can you give me a minute with Genis?" the ax-girl asked politely. Again, the healer sighed.

"Alright," she replied before exiting. Presea came up beside the bed, kneeling so her face was level with his.

"Genis...I don't want you to die," she whispered, unable to utter that phrase any louder.

"I...w-w-won't," he promised, trying to force a smile past the shaking. Genis didn't want her to worry, he was sure there was going to be a way to get through this. Presea's eyes widened suddenly, and Genis believed she had an idea.

"What if...this is like your other problem? Genis...open your eyes further," she requested, and the half elf forced his eyes to fully open. Presea saw the same whitish-blue hue in the iris as she had last night.

"It's like I thought. It is the same thing. Perhaps...it can be cured the same way?" Presea suggested.

"M-m-mayb-be," he managed. The pink-haired girl closed her eyes and leaned towards him. Their lips brushed, and she could feel the coldness of them. It was like kissing an icicle, but she wanted to help him. Genis could feel his jaw gradually becoming looser, and the warmth started to return to his body. **(A/N: I'm manning up and doing this scene! Okay...remind me to breathe.)** The need from last night came back, and he pulled her up on top of him. Presea neither struggled or pulled away; she kept her lips pressed against his. Presea opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to slip inside. His hands rested firmly on her hips while hers lay on his chest. Even though this wasn't completely Genis, he couldn't deny he enjoyed it a little. Finally, they broke away and Presea placed her head on his chest.

"Better?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah, much," he replied with a smile, stroking Presea's hair. Genis could feel it; his body temperature was back to normal, and he felt fine. What kind of curse was this, Forcystus? he asked the Desian leader silently.

"Genis, feel my heartbeat," Presea told him, taking his hand in her own and placing it over her heart. Genis could feel the erratic rhythm pulsing out. He smiled and grabbed her hand in his, placing it over his own racing heart.

"Our hearts are...the same," Presea stated with a smile.

"Yeah," Genis agreed, kissing his girlfriend's forehead. "I...should go tell Raine I'm okay." Presea reluctantly moved off of him and Genis entwined his hand with hers before exiting the room. The half elf could feel the coldness and lust beginning to creep its way back, but it was fine for now. He could hold on.

"Raine! I'm back to normal...more or less," he told his sister, watching the woman's expression go from glee to confusion.

"But...how? I tried all my healing arts," she probed, very curious. Presea blushed, and explained.

"Well...I kissed him," she replied sheepishly. Raine cocked an eyebrow, now feeling totally lost about what curse Genis had been taken over with. The healer shook her head, trying to clear it.

"Peculiar," she mumbled, walking away. _You have no idea_, the young mage thought. The group downed their breakfast and left for Dirks house immediately. Genis rode with Presea because Raine was worried about his condition, and Colette rode with Lloyd, should her strength give out again. Dirk looked them both over, and hung his head.

"I'm sorry, laddies. I don' know the firs' thing 'bout these gems. You be better off askin' that dwarf over in Tetha'alla," Dirk told them in his dwarven accent.

"That's alright, Dad. Thanks," Lloyd said gratefully. After waving goodbye, the group set off for Altessa's. Genis was beginning to feel the energy leave his body, but he tried to stay upright for the sake of everyone else.

"Are you alright Genis? We're almost there," Presea shouted to him over the loud wind. The half elf pressed his knees to the insides of hers and rested his head on her shoulder, tightening his grip around Presea's waist.

"I...think so," he told her, honestly unsure of it himself.

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

"Colette's conditon is called Chronic Angel Crystallus Inofficium, it's a very rare disease in which the body is rejected by the Cruxis Crystal, however, unlike Presea, Colette's body will continue to slowly and painfully crystallize until she is completely gone. I believe someone in Mithos the Hero's party was affected by this disease, perhaps you should go look at some of the books about it. As for Genis, his situation is particularly strange. I've never seen anything like it. I've tried to figure it out to the best of my abilities, but it seems like some new form of mana is inhabiting itself in his body, creating an imbalance. I can try and withdraw it through his exsphere, but I can't guarantee minimum pain or success, but it's the best option we have at the moment," Altessa explained. Genis nodded, knowing he was right. This was their best option. Then, he saw Mithos exit from his room looking much better than last time.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" the half elf boy asked curiously.

"Well, Colette is...sick, and Genis has something wrong with him, so I guess we're just here to figure this out," Lloyd told him, and Mithos' dark blue eyes widened.

"Colette is...sick?" Mithos whispered, looking very scared.

"Yeah, something called Chronic Angels Crystalline whatever," Lloyd guessed, shrugging.

"Chronic Angel Crystallus Inofficium," Presea corrected. Mithos looked ready to fall over.

"I...I think I know where you can find something to help with that," the blonde half elf told them unsteadily.

"Great!" Lloyd exclaimed with a bright smile. Mithos looked really uncomfortable.

"Umm...yeah. What's wrong with Genis?" the boy asked, switching the subject.

"There's a mana imbalance in his body. Altessa is going to try and draw it out...but it's not certain to work," Raine explained.

"Gee, thanks for the reminder, Sis," Genis mumbled. He felt Presea's grip constrict around his hand, probably as a way for her to reassure herself he was going to be okay. With the strength she had it was amazing Presea didn't just crush his hand. Genis could feel the coldness creeping back into his body, threatening to take over.

"When...can you do this procedure, Altessa?" Genis asked, struggling to fight the ever growing sensations.

"Now, if you'd like," Altessa replied, hoping it would work.

"Alright then," he sighed. Presea released him and walked back over to Raine, who looked quite nervous. Genis followed the dwarf to the room where Presea had been taken earlier. _Why is it just me and Presea being hurt so seriously? Is it lovers luck or something?_ _Well, there's Colette...but it's not like Lloyd's getting hurt at the same time. This is so cliché,_ Genis said to himself.

"Please take a seat," Altessa instructed, and Genis, understanding what was meant, lied down on the wooden table.

"Alright, let me just see your exsphere for a moment," the dwarf told him as Genis raised his hand. On it sat a bright blue stone sitting peacefully in a key crest. Altessa tapped it, and Genis gasped. Coldness instantly filled his being, and he began to shake violently.

"Hold on! I'm going to try and extract the mana now," Altessa informed. Genis was shaking to badly to notice what was going on, but all of a sudden he felt a searing pain rip through his body. Genis cried out, for it was more painful than anything he had ever experienced. The sensation lasted a minute or two, and those few minutes were filled with yells of agony. After the procedure was done, the pain disappeared in a flash and Genis lost consciousness.

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

Presea sat on the ground, deep in thought. _Why is fate trying to take everyone I love away from me? It feels like they keep trying but the last ones were failed attempts. Is it that selfish to ask for just one person to love? _she thought. Hearing his anguished cries through the door was enough to almost make her bust down the door with her axe, but she knew that that might diminish any chance they had at Genis surviving. All of a sudden, they cut off. Presea clenched her hands, the suspense of whether or not he was alive killing her. The door creaked open, and Altessa walked out looking solemn.

"How'd it go?" Raine probed, concerned. Altessa looked down, like he was guilty.

"I...don't know. I was able to extract that mana imbalance, but after I was done he lost consciousness. Genis' heartbeats are irregular and slow...and I don't know if he is alive or dying or in a coma. You can come see him if you'd like," the dwarf told them, anxiety clear in his tone. Presea needed no further encouragement. She rushed towards the doorway and was instantly chilled by what she saw. Genis, not moving, not seeming to be alive in any way. It frightened her to see the light gone from his eyes, the determination gone from his movements. In fact, he didn't even move. An erratic beeping pierced the silent air, and Presea swooned slightly. _All is not lost_, she reminded herself and regained balance. Raine moved forward to examine him.

"Will he be alright?" she fretted. Altessa looked very depressed.

"I...don't know," he admitted. Mithos came bursting into the room at that moment, sorrow overwhelming his features as he took in what had happened.

"No...this can't be happening! Not my only friend!" he cried, not wanting to accept what his eyes showed. _Genis...you can't give up._ _Not after everything we've been through_, Presea told him telepathically. The boy ran out of the room, tears beginning to streak down his face.

"May I...have a moment with him?" Presea asked quietly, knowing her voice wasn't very steady. Everyone politely complied, and Raine was nice enough to leave her brother so Presea could have some time alone with him. Once everyone was gone and the door was shut, Presea walked over to him and began to let a few tears slip out.

"Genis...you can't die here. I need you. I need you to grow up into a handsome man, surrounded by your own little children. I need you to live to see the day of the joined worlds. I need you to wake up next to me each day. I need you," Presea whimpered to him. "And I love you." Leaning forward, she kissed him gently, shaken by how motionless he was as she did so. Presea brushed his silver hair away from his eyes, and caressed his pointed ears. She traced his lips with her finger and touched the back of her hand to his cheek. Presea held up his hand that had the exsphere on it and a few of her tears dripped onto it.

"Please...come back to me," she pleaded. Upon seeing no change, Presea left the room with a broken spirit, worry and disappointment crushing her. When she came out of the room looking so depressed, Colette ran up and gave her a hug.

"I'm sorry Presea, but I'm sure he'll be okay! Genis is really tough, I'm certain he will get through this!" the blonde chimed, ever optimistic.

"Thank you."

Presea decided to seek out Mithos, and she found the boy crying in a corner.

"Mithos..."

"Presea! Why are you here?" the half elf asked, wiping away his tears.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay. I know this is hard...its really hurts me to see him like that, and I can tell it hurts you too. However, all we can do is trust in Genis that he will pull through," Presea told him. Mithos smiled a little.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. It's just...he was my only friend. He understood discrimination and hatred like I did. I can't handle his death," Mithos said.

"He won't die," Presea stated firmly, her gaze hardening with defiance.

"Yeah, we'll have to make sure of that," Mithos agreed like he could control it. After leaving the half elf, Presea went to check on Genis. Already, her heart was beginning to ache. She remembered all the times those very lips were pressed against hers, creating some of the happiest moments of her life. Presea could remember them vividly; Genis would often kiss her passionately, while she would just return contently. She sorely missed the childlike smile that would always play across his mouth, the shining light in his bright blue eyes. Without any doubt, Presea was scared. He had to live, he had to. This wasn't how fairytales are supposed to end. Then again, in a fairytale the princess doesn't get experimented on and her family isn't all dead and she doesn't appear to be way younger than she is and she doesn't fight. However, that was Presea. Maybe life isn't a fairytale, but it's a treasure, and she wanted to spend it with Genis.

"I love you," she whispered, those words feeling empty. There was no ear to receive them, no person to kiss her in ecstasy at hearing those words leave her mouth. No person for her to admit it to, no response of agreement. It was beyond frightening or chilling, it was straight down terrifying. _Come back_, she thought before opening the door to leave. The faint beeping of his irregular heartbeats still rang in her ears. All of a sudden, that inconsistent pattern turned into one endless ring. Presea's blood went cold and her heart stopped.

"NO!"

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

**Muhahaha, not the ending you were expecting, eh? So you all know what one long beep means...is he dead? Well well, looks like you have to read chappy 21! ;) A lot of fluffiness (or is it sappiness?) going on here. Small hint of Colloyd, anyone catch that? Psh I've been hinting Colloyd throughout this whole book, I like that pairing ^-^ Sooo what did you think? Love it? Hate it? Glorify it? Review and tell me! Thanks for reading,**

**BE**


	21. Chapter Twenty-One: Is Death the End?

**Well hi, I see you're back. Hungry for more? I certainly hope so:)**

**diety: Why, thank you:) I appreciate your reviews and hope you like this update!**

**BE: Okay, Sheena, you can try and redeem yourself and, by extension, the rest of the gang. Are you up to it?**

**Sheena: No.**

**BE: I have chocolate.**

**Sheena: MINE! I love chocolate! Nomnomnom. *stuffs her face* Blacksh Eyeth Sheven don't own Taleth of Symphonia, Namcoz doesh.**

**BE: Thank you. So dear reader, might I ask, what at you sting still reading this? You have a chapter to get to!**

**.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.**

Genis woke, but it wasn't where he expected. Instead, he found himself in an endless, white abyss. _Am I dead? _he wondered. A woman appeared, with long green hair and a white and black gown. Her dark green eyes sparkled, and something about her gave her a motherly quality.

"Martel?" Genis asked, his voice sounding muffled and far away. The woman only smiled.

"Genis. Come with me," Martel commanded in a gentle way. Her voice was smooth and pure, and it rang out like a clang of a church bell. Complying, the half elf followed her further into the abyss, noticing the unmarred whiteness growing darker. Soon it turned pitch black.

"Where are we?" Genis prodded, and again Martel did not answer. The boy saw nothing but black, and in a spilt second it was broken with a glowing light coming from Martel's staff. The woman's face could be vaugley made out in the dim light, and Genis watched as she spread her arms wide. The light from her staff went out, but the room was now filled with various orbs that played different scenes. Genis came closer to one in wonder. He saw Presea in Flanoir staring at a fireplace.

"Presea," he whispered, wondering where she was. Genis watched as her lips moved silently, talking to someone. That someone was...Genis. The mage backed up in confusion, wondering what these strange orbs were.

"Your favorite memories, Genis," the goddess answered, as if reading his mind. As the half elf looked around, he noticed something. They all had Presea in them.

"Why am I here?" Genis asked, determined to get an answer this time. "Did I die?" Martel's bright face fell, allowing a solemn expression to take its place.

"That is...a very difficult topic. Your heart has stopped, but you aren't in fact dead. Mana, as you know, is the force of life. Your body still contains a small amount, but that small amount isn't enough to keep your body functioning. So, technically you are dead, but not really. You could still be brought back with a very advanced healing technique. However, no one knows that skill except my brother, and..." Martel trailed off, shaking her head. Genis could not sit back and stay here doing nothing. He needed to know about the others.

"Where are the others? What are they doing now? You're a goddess, can't you let me see them?" the half elf pleaded, feeling his gut clench. Martel looked at him with a gaze that was heartbreaking. Her green eyes were darker than before, and full of pain. A frown tugged at her mouth, and her total expression looked like she was going to cry.

"Alright," she agreed in the same smooth voice, pulling a blank expression onto her face. The green-haired woman raised a hand, and instantly a large screen appeared in front of them. It was at least three times as tall as Genis and much wider than the space he and Martel took up. In the screen, he could see himself lying on the wooden table, unmoving. Everyone stood around the still Genis, all with different expressions. Raine was crying softly with a hand over her mouth; Lloyd was wincing, not allowing his tears to escape. Colette was crying freely, as was Mithos. Sheena, Zelos, and Regal all wore sorrowful expressions, and Altessa was covering his eyes with his hand, blaming himself for what had happened. Last, he saw Presea. She was standing over his motionless body, tears running down her face and screaming. What she was screaming, Genis couldn't hear. Their lips moved but no sound came out. The goddess waved her hand, and their voices became audible.

"Altessa! Can't you do something? He can't die! He can't!" Presea cried, tears dripping from her face. The sound of that single, high pitched noise rang out above everything else. Genis wanted to reach out and wipe the tears off her face. He wanted to kiss her and hold her and tell her it was okay, but he couldn't. He was in another dimension entirely. Altessa shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Presea. There's nothing we can do. I'm so sorry," Altessa apologized, looking down. The pink-haired girl gritted her teeth, and her face contorted to display the emotional pain she was feeling. It felt like Genis' heart was getting shredded apart. The girl he loved was suffering, and he couldn't do anything about it. The half elf cursed, and fought the urge to cry. Lloyd burst out suddenly in the display, keeping his real angst underneath the surface.

"Come on! There has to be something we can do! There has to be a w-"

"There is no way! He's dead! Stop trying to fix the impossible!" Raine shouted, letting all her contained emotions out in that single, untamed outburst. The whole group stared at her.

"This...can't be," Mithos muttered, still in denial. Presea yelled in outrage and hurt, and everyone braced themselves to hold her back in case she went out of control. Instead, she sunk to her knees, clamping her hands over her ears and squeezing her eyes shut.

"Why does everyone I love get taken away from me? How cruel can life be?" Presea asked, more to herself than anyone else.

"Presea...I'm sorry. I know this was especially hard for you, but please just calm down. It will be okay," Sheena cooed, her usually fierce voice softening into the caring tone she almost never used. The ax-girl stood up harshly, and Sheena backed up slightly in fear. Presea's initially angered expression softened into one a of sadness and angst, and finally she replied.

"Sheena, how can this be okay? I'm grateful for you trying to make me feel better, but I can't right now. Everyone I love is gone. My daddy, my mother, my sister, and now Genis. My hometown rejects me, and even though you all have been so kind to me, I have nothing left to fight for. I'm sorry." Presea ran from the room, unable to hold up a calm facade any longer.

"I'm sorry, Presea. I couldn't be there for you," Genis whispered, feeling the hot tears well up in his eyes and start to tumble out. Martel came over and wrapped her arms around him softly, trying to comfort him. Her embrace was calming, and Genis suspected it was her magic.

"Martel...can you please show me Presea?" he requested polietly. The image shifted, and Genis saw Presea running through the forest with her axe. A furious yell erupted from her, and she swung her axe into a tree. This was nothing like what she usually did to cut down trees, one calm, synchronised cut after another. This was more like she was doing it to let her feelings out, and one huge slice sent the tree falling to the ground. Tears coursed down her face, and she stumbled to the ground as all of her energy left her. It had all been used on tears and anger. She fell over with a soft thud, lying there and not getting up.

"Presea!" Genis shouted, frustrated he could not do anything. He looked over frantically to Martel, pleading with his eyes. "You're a goddess, bring me back to life!" Martel shook her head.

"I cannot."

"But I have all my friends back there! My sister too, who will be alone without me! And Presea, she has no one left!"

"I cannot."

Genis pounded his fist into the ground.

"Martel...you care about the world. I need to get back and save it," he told her quietly. Hurt flashed across her eyes, and something snapped inside of her.

"I...

"...will try. I will try to send you back," she finally agreed after several moments of silence. Without giving Genis even a moment to thank her, she thrust her staff into the air, and Genis was torn from the room. Very far away, he could barely see his motionless form on the table. The half elf began to fall into his body, like when you have a dream and you fall into yourself, waking up when you make contact, except for real. When Genis made contact, all he saw was blackness. There was no feeling whatsoever, and suddenly his eyes snapped open. He jolted upright, feeling the hard wood underneath his hands and the cool air wrap around him. Genis scanned the room happily, confirming that he was alive again. The monitor that was registering his heartbeat started to beep at what was a normal rate. Tearing the wires off of him, Genis burst out of the room with a large grin plastered on his face. The whole group was outside, and their faces turned to him. A collective gasp was heard before shouts of joy rang. Lloyd ran over and glomped him, followed by Colette, Sheena, and Raine. The boy nearly fell over.

"What...Genis...how?" Raine sputtered, unable to wrap her mind around it. Genis smiled.

"I met Martel," he replied vaguely, earning a look of utter confusion from his sister. At that very moment, Mithos came out. The loud noises had peaked his curiosity, and eventually he was drawn out of his room.

"Genis!" he exclaimed, running over to give his friend a hug. Mithos looked at him, relief and disbelief showing in his eyes.

"Martel...saved you?" he asked quietly, very shaken by this.

"Yeah...she saved me," Genis told him, watching an unidentifiable emotion flit across Mithos' dark blue eyes for a moment. Then, a grin spread across the blonde half elf's face, covering up any other emotions.

"I'm glad you're back."

Genis received a few more hugs, and then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The smile dropped off his face and his eyes widened.

"Presea!" he yelled, breaking out of the room and running through the woods to find her. After stumbling around for a few minutes, he finally found her like he had seen in the vision: lying on the ground, no energy left.

"Presea!" he yelled to her. The beautiful light blue eyes, like the sky on a clear cloudless day, opened slowly.

"Genis?" she whispered, unable to believe it. Pushing up off the ground, the pink-haired girl stumbled away. "You can't be Genis! He's dead!"

"No, I promise it's me! Martel...she brought me back. I watched you all, unable to do anything as I saw you run out into the woods. I pleaded with her, and she complied! I'm here, it's me, I promise!" Genis shouted, watching Presea warily. The ax-girl had her hands over her ears and she was shaking her head.

"No! I watched him die! You...are not him. Martel, why do you torment me with ghosts?" Presea cried, clearly very upset. Against his better judgement, Genis walked up to her. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Genis knew she could slice him to pieces in an instant. However, the more prominent thought was he needed her to believe him. Genis grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from her ears, making her look at him. Tears ran down her cheeks and the pain in her eyes felt to Genis like he had just been stabbed through the chest with a knife. _You don't deserve to be suffering_, he thought.

"Presea. Look at me. I am here, no ghost. I've been to Hell and back," he told her, watching the struggle fade from her movements. Releasing her hands, Genis stood still as she let them roam to his face, gently feeling his hair and touching his ears. She caressed the plains of his face, and traced his lips softly. A faint blush, a tint of rosy, warm _life_ spread across his cheeks

"It...it is you!" she burst out finally, wrapping her arms around him.

"It's me," Genis murmured into her ear, letting Presea calm down.

"I was so frightened," she hiccuped, still very much in shock. Genis stroked her back soothingly.

"I know...I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you." After a few minutes spent like that, just holding each other, Presea pulled back.

"Genis...surely you did not go to Hell," she commented, remembering what he had said earlier. A smile stretched across his mouth.

"True, but there is no Heaven if you're not there," Genis told her, causing her to grin as well. Their lips connected, warmth spreading through both of them.

"I love you," Presea told him, feeling whole again.

"I love you too," Genis replied, kissing her again.

**.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.**

When the two arrived back at Altessa's place, the room erupted in cheers. Presea smiled, something that the group had not seen for a very long time.

"I told you it would be okay, Presea," Sheena smirked, the usual fierceness back in her tone.

"Yes. I'm sorry for reacting that way." Sheena just shrugged.

"It's alright. I know how hard that was for you." The two hugged, and it turned out Raine, Colette, Lloyd, and Mithos weren't done hugging Genis yet either. This time though, the half elf really did fall over. They all laughed and broke apart, happy tears welling in their eyes.

"Genis...I'm so happy you're okay," Raine told her brother, giving him one last hug.

"Enough hugs, Sis!" Genis complained from underneath her crushing arms. However, after Raine stepped away he smiled.

"I missed you, Raine," he told her.

"Did you miss me too?" Zelos yelled from the corner, grinning.

"Ya know, can't say that I did."

"Brat."

Genis laughed, and grinned widely. _It's good to be back._

**.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.**

**Man, I remember how much fun this chapter was to write. I hope it was fun to read! I know Martel was a little too easily swayed but oh well point is Genis is ALIVE :) Thanks so much for reading, please review! Bye bye,**

**BE**


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two: Kuchinawa's Revenge

**Well let's jump right in!**

**diety: Thanks! Here comes chappy 22 :)**

**AnriMia24: Indeed, Forcystus was almost as stubborn as Rodyle :P Ehehe, thank you, I'm glad you had fun reading it :) Here's your update!**

**BE: Okay, Sheena redeemed you guys! Actually, she didn't but I got tired doing the disclaimers by myself.**

**Zelos: No one can stand being without me! **

**BE: Did I invite you here?**

**Zelos: Nope, I invited myself! I mean, who wouldn't want a popular character like me doing their disclaimer? **

**BE: You realize you have like...six lines so far. **

**Zelos: WHAT?! Let me see this! *grabs computer and reads furiously* NOOOOO**

**BE: Go ahead and do the disclaimer will ya?**

**Zelos: *sniff* BlackEyes7 doesn't own ToS, Namco has all the rights, the people who-**

**BE: OH NO YOU DON'T. *puts black circle on face* Okay, dear reader, do your thang. **

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Here it is!" Mithos exclaimed, pulling out a book. The half elf had led them all the way back to the Tower of Mana, where he had told them the book on Mithos the Hero's adventures would be found.

"Wow, thanks Mithos!" Lloyd shouted, happily taking the ragged, leather-bound book. "Okay..."

Before Lloyd began to read, everyone sat down in a circle, knowing it could be a while. The marble floor was cold underneath Presea, and dust filled the old room. She listened intently for any sign of a cure for Colette in the passage. Lloyd skimmed the book, until he found it.

"Aha! Here it says that one of Mithos' companions were afflicted with this disease. They cured it with...zircon, a mana leaf herb, and a mana fragment. What? Where are we gonna find this?" Lloyd shouted, pounding the ground with his fist. The red-clad swordsman was his most intense when it came to Colette's well-being. The blonde angel ran over to him, casing her hand over his fist. Lloyd lost his edge slightly, but frustration was still prominently displayed on his features.

"Lloyd, relax. I know where to find the mana leaf herb, not that it's going to be easy," Raine told him, standing next to another one of the large bookcases. Genis watched his sister, seeing the spark in her eyes that normally initiated "Ruin-Mode." Luckily, she was actually making an attempt not to go insane. Lloyd looked over at her, light reignited in his brown eyes.

"Where?" he asked, releasing his fist and using the same hand to grasp Colette's.

"Heimdall. The village of the elves," Raine replied simply, masking the true pain that came from the mention of that place. She had grown up there, and after Genis was born, her mother, a pure elf, abandoned a very young Raine with a newborn Genis at the Otherworldly Gate to take them to Sylvarant. It was then Raine had learned how to be the strong, independent person that everyone had grown to know. Through trying to find a place to live while half elf oppression was so strong, all the while carrying a newborn and she was only eight. They had eventually had to lie and tell the mayor of Iselia that they were elves, so they could call some place their home. The healer sighed, reminiscing in the day they had finally found shelter.

"Alright, but what about the zircon and mana fragment?" Sheena questioned, obviously doubtful.

"My company has dealt with zircon. Perhaps we should travel to Altimira and find out if they have any," Regal suggested.

"Okay, now what about the mana fragment?" Lloyd prodded, wondering if this one would be easy to locate as well.

"That only comes from Derris-Kharlan," Mithos told them, speaking up for the first time since they had walked in. Zelos sighed.

"Man, why is there always something?" he whined. Sheena rolled her eyes.

"We will deal with how to acquire that when the time comes. First, I believe we should start off with the zircon, seeing how Heimdall would require a bit more work to get into, let alone coax them to give us a sacred ingredient in their medicines," Presea stated, sitting cross legged on the ground. Heimdall only let elves in, no humans and especially not half elves.

"Yeah. Thank you everyone, for trying to help me," Colette said, smiling with her usual brightness.

"Hey, I promised to protect you and I'm not backing out now," Lloyd told her with determination, gripping her hand tighter.

"Okay, let's go to Altimira!"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

The bright sun and amusement park was not very uplifting for Presea. Children laughing and splashing one another at the beach with their mothers smiling at the scene hurt her. Her childhood had been stolen away from her, as was her family. The bright sunlight was very hot, warming her arms inside of her thick grey gloves. Looking around, she could tell that she was the only one who felt this way. Everyone else, especially Colette, gawked at the grandeur of the city. It was the largest tourist attraction in Tethe'alla, run (or used to to be run) by Regal. The large glass hotel sparkled as it refelected the light from the outside. Presea sighed, patiently waiting for them to reach the Elemental Railway. Once the train-like water vehicle came into view, the group boarded. The salty smell floated up to her nose as she breathed in the scent of the ocean.

"You look unhappy," Genis whispered to her. The pink-haired girl was startled, for she didn't know he was behind her. Presea looked down, not wanted to damper his mood.

"No...I just am not comfortable in such environments," she told him vaugely.

"I get the feeling you don't mean the heat," he mumbled, aware that she probably didn't want anyone to know what she was going to say next. The ax-girl sighed, knowing she couldn't keep anything from him.

"Yes. Watching everyone here playing without a care in the world, it just reminds me of how my childhood was stolen away from me. I may still look young, but my mind does not function like a young person's should," she explained quietly.

"That's alright. It can't be that bad, I mean it was only a few years," Genis said in an effort to console her. Instead, Presea looked away. _No, it was much more than a few years, _she thought. However, Presea wasn't going to tell him that. She didn't know if she was ever going to tell him. Genis would leave her and surely see her as a monster, just as everyone else did. Genis, in turn, said nothing. He didn't want to pry into such a sensitive topic. Not that he wasn't curious, but it was a private matter that she would tell him when she was ready. The water train slowed to a stop as they arrived at Lezareno Company. Regal led them up to the president's floor, where they found George. George was Regal's butler, he had been since Regal was an infant.

"Alicia!" George exclaimed, the old man's eyes widening. Presea looked away, forcing the hot tears to stay away at the mention of her dead sister. Genis wrapped his arms around her protectively, allowing her face to be hidden from view.

"No, George. This is Presea, her sister," Regal explained, obviously feeling angst at George's mention of the girl he loved.

"My apologies, sir. Now, why are you here?" The old man questioned, trying to change the subject. Presea barely heard them. She just stood there, lifeless and unmoving while Genis embraced her, hiding her face as she tucked it into his shoulder. She was grateful for the small amount of protection, for her heart was not ready to bear the mention of her dear sister. The only thing holding herself together was the half elf whose arms held her. Presea kept her own arms at her sides, only wanting to be held and not to be holding someone at the moment. She could feel the wetness brimming her eyes, but the pink-haired girl just swallowed and calmed down. The muffled voices were nothing to her as she focused on the darkness around her. With her eyes closed and her face pressed into the mage, all she could see was black. Presea didn't mind. Black was darkness, and darkness was all too familar. Genis pushed her away very gently, as if she were a very fragile piece of china. Presea continued to look at the ground sadly, trying unsuccessfully to push the name "Alicia" to the back of her mind. The half elf cupped her chin and tilted her face so she had to look into his ocean-blue eyes.

"Are you alright?" Genis asked quietly, all of his emotions of worry and concern shining in his eyes. The ax-girl nodded, finally being able to pull herself together. He grabbed her hand, warmth seeping into her body from his comforting grip. The half elf led her to where everyone else was, for Presea hadn't noticed until now that the group had moved on. They were searching in a library for what Presea had been informed of was the paper stating the last zircon shipment. Reluctantly, the silver-haired boy left her to search in an area of books, and she took another area. Hour by hour ticked by, and no one found anything.

"Arg! This is useless! We've searched just about every book!" Lloyd yelled, slamming the book he was skimming shut. Colette tried to run over to calm him down, but she tripped and fell into a bookshelf.

"Oww..." the angel mumbled, and a book fell. Lloyd promptly caught it and Colette used her hands to push herself off the marble floor.

"Are you alright, Colette?" Lloyd cried, and the girl smiled at him.

"Yep," she chimed. Sheena came up from behind Lloyd and snatched the book he was holding.

"Guys! This is it! Colette, your clumsiness really is blessed," the ninja remarked. "Okay, the last zircon shipment was-"

With a sudden gust of wind, the book was stolen from her hands. Sheena gasped, looking up to see Kuchinawa standing in front of her in his ninja garb.

"Kuchinawa, why?" the summoner shouted.

"Sheena, when you summoned Volt all those years ago and failed, countless people died. My parents were among those people, and the chief is in a coma. Now here you are, going around making pacts like you do it everyday! I don't think you were even trying," Kuchinawa sneered. The fierce ninja looked hurt and broken. She had always carried the guilt of that incident, even if it wasn't her fault. She was only ten, and Sheena hadn't been able to understand the language Volt had been using. Because of this, many people died trying to protect her, the last summoner.

"No! It's not like that...please Kuchinawa, give me back that paper! We need it to save our friend," Sheena pleaded. The male ninja shook his head vigorously.

"Not likely. I came here to challenge you to a duel on the Isle of Decision, as Mizuho tradition states where any Mizuho duels should take place. I need this so I can be sure you'll show up," Kuchinawa told her. Sheena had tears in her eyes, a very unusual sight indeed.

"Here, take this instead," she whispered, pulling out a bell attached to a collar.

"What is this?" Kuchinawa sneered.

"Corrine's...memento," Sheena told him quietly.

"Fine," the male ninja agreed, taking the bell and giving the paper back.

"Thank you," Sheena breathed, watching Kuchinawa disappear.

"I'm sorry Sheena, I know how much that bell meant to you," Colette apologized.

"That's okay, let's read about this shipment first," the summoner said dismissively, determined not to let her emotions get the best of her. "The last zircon shipment was to the Imperial Research Facility in Sybak." Sheena folded up the paper.

"Well, that was easy," Lloyd declared, smiling. Sheena, however, did not even look happy in the slightest.

"Hey, Sheena-" Zelos began.

"Stop. I know you all are going to feel sorry for me but it's not that big of a deal. I have to take responsibility for what I've done. His parent's deaths are none other than my fault, and he has every right to be mad at me. Let's just go to Mizuho and get this over with," Sheena told them, never once making eye contact. She pulled on her dark purple hair in aggravation before storming out of the room and into the elevator. Nobody muttered a single word the whole flight to Mizuho. Sheena and Lloyd alone entered the vice chief's house, and the rest of the group sat outside.

"Greetings, Sheena," Tiga said, sitting on his heels. Three mats were laid out, the first one being the one Tiga was kneeling on and the other two were directly opposite. The female ninja knelt on the left one and Lloyd knelt on the right, looking at the floor.

"I have heard rumors that you and Kuchinawa will duel. Why is this?" the vice chief probed.

"He has...felt that I am to blame for the death of his parents. He is correct, it was my fault. I accepted his duel, in hoping he would finally get the chance to release his anger towards me," Sheena explained. Lloyd remained silent.

"I see. Kuchinawa was here earlier, and he said that he would be leaving the village regardless of how to duel ended. Only traitors leave the village, did he do something that Mizuho is not aware of?" Tiga questioned. Sheena was silent, and Lloyd finally spoke up.

"Yes. He's been working with the Pope this whole time," Lloyd declared, and Sheena snapped head over to look at him in disbelief. The Pope was the head of the church, but he was evil. He wanted to take the throne of Tethe'alla for himself, and he tried to kill Zelos many times.

"Lloyd!" Sheena exclaimed, obviously not wanting Tiga to know what information the swordsman leaked. The vice chief nodded.

"I see. Darkness has corrupted his heart. Go, fight Sheena. A boat will wait outside to take you to the Isle of Decision when you are ready. Lloyd, you will be the observer. Good luck," Tiga finished, and the two young adults exited the house in silence. The tension filled the air like a thick cloud, choking them.

"Sheena, you are going to win," Lloyd promised. The ninja just kept her head down and didn't respond. The boat rode calmly on the water while Lloyd paddled it. When they arrived, they saw Kuchinawa standing there.

"Took you long enough," the male ninja grumbled, drawing his sword. "Come, Sheena. Face your destiny!" Sheena herself drew her cards and prepared for the fight. She knew what Lloyd didn't; Kuchinawa would be almost impossible to beat. The purple-haired ninja had grown up with him, she'd seen his strength. Her speed and seals would prove to be virtually useless against his powerful spells and quick slashing. Still, she accepted the challenge.

"Lloyd, you will stand by to confirm this match. The match only ends when one of us gives up...or dies," Sheena added with distaste. "Kuchinawa...I'm sorry about your parents." Tears shone in Sheena's eyes, because she had never known her parents. Kuchinawa's expression softened for a moment, but then he shook his head.

"You think you can just apologize? Nonsense. Prepare to face the same fate they did," he spat, charging her. Sheena jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding his sword. She held a card between two fingers and pushed on his back, the card exploding and knocking him down. With an outraged shout, Kuchinawa back-flipped and slashed his sword at her, creating a few cuts on Sheena's arms. Spinning around quickly, Sheena did a few quick motions with her hands.

"Demon Seal!" she shouted, and a similar explosion came except with demons swirling and doing much more damage.

"Lightning!" Kuchinawa called, and a bright blue bolt struck the ninja from the skies. Slightly dazed, she tried to get up but was knocked back down by a barrage of sword slashes. Deeps cuts appeared on her back and arms.

"Get up and fight!" Kuchinawa bellowed. Enraged, Sheena staggered to her feet and brought forth a summoning circle at her feet.

"Disciple of everlasting ice, I summon thee: Come, Celsius!" The ice spirit rose from Sheena's circle and slammed down onto Kuchinawa.

"Too...afraid...to fight me...yourself?" Kuchinawa taunted between attacks. Charging, Sheena whipped her cards around wildly but was cut off by another attack. Four lightning strikes hit her, and she fell back to the ground, tired and bloodied. Cracking open her eyes slightly, she saw Kuchinawa standing above her with his sword positioned to stab her.

"How pathetic," he sneered, raising the sword. Sheena laughed lightly, and Kuchinawa stared at her in confusion.

"How can you laugh? I'm going to kill you!" he screamed, raising his sword again. Sheena just raised one shaky hand with a card, trying to pull in air so she could talk.

"Oblivion Seal," she whispered, and Lloyd held his hands over his face to protect himself from the exploding card, feeling the true power of this attack. Lloyd felt the heat rush at him and burn him, as well as a shock wave blowing at breathtaking force. Once it cleared, the swordsman lowered his arms to survey the battlefield. Kuchinawa was laying a ways away, not moving. Lloyd assumed him to be dead. Sheena, however, was looking no better. She lay on the dirt, showing life only in the fact that she was being racked with horrible coughing.

"Sheena!" the red-clad boy shouted, running over to her. Cuts, burns, and bruises covered her skin. She was very pale and looked extremely weak. "Sheena, are you alright? What was that?" The ninja cracked her eyes open a small bit, smiling feebly.

"I...won," she murmered, before going limp.

"Sheena. Sheena! SHEENA!"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

**Hehehe. Sheena's actually pretty cool, but she didn't have a huge part in this story so if your heart has not been wrenched out of your chest at this and thrown on the ground to be stomped on I understand. Not a lot of fluff in this chapter, I sorry, but there's PLENTY of fluff to make up for it next chapter :) I hope you still enjoyed it! I'm keeping this short so I can upload the next chappy:) Please leave a review on the way out :) See you soon,**

**BE**


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three: Mizuho

**GAH! I am so so so sorry again! I'm horrible for not updating in so long /).- No one can even imagine how happy I will be if you have stuck with my story this whole time. Middle school is a roller coaster of drama and I got sucked up in some pretty bad situations, so updating in the middle of that...just wasn't going to hareally so, I'm really really sorry. Quick disclaimer so you can read the long awaited chapter!**

** Soo...oh wait, I don't have to do a disclaimer because I own Tales of Symphonia now! Muhahaha! ...No. Dudes, I'm just a twelve year old girl who thinks Presea's is a boss, Genis is talented (kendama skills), and cookies are the best inspiration out there. All rights of ToS go to Namco.**

**PS Prepare for the fluff monster.**

**...**

Presea leaned on Genis as they sat, the hot sun beating down on them. However, Presea liked Mizuho. It was very calm, very contained. It put her mind at ease to smell the herbs and hear the tranquil chirping of birds. The faint noise of a waterfall could be heard in the background as well. The pink-haired girl closed her eyes and cuddled up next to the half elf, never expecting what she heard next.

"Everyone! Get over here! Sheena's hurt!"

Presea's eyes flew open as both she and Genis sprang from their seats, dashing over to the river. Lloyd was carrying Sheena bridal style on the shore, the boat slightly pulled out of the water but threatening to go back in. Sheena had blood smeared all over her clothes and face, her arm hanging limp at her side. The ninja's head drooped backwards as her neck was left unsupported.

"What happened?" Raine demanded, hand on her hip. Lloyd shook his head.

"I don't know. Kuchinawa was about to kill her but she used some seal I'd never seen before and defeated him first, but she was affected by the blast and passed out. She's pretty badly hurt," the swordsman finished. Presea glanced around, and for the first time, Zelos looked angry. Zelos and angry didn't go together. They were polar opposites. However, when it came to Sheena's health, Zelos was a bit more...serious. Perhaps like Lloyd was around Colette, but only in certain times. The Chosen of Tethe'alla walked forward and took Sheena from Lloyd's arms.

"I got her, Lloyd. Raine, where do you want me to set her so she can heal?" Zelos questioned, cradling Sheena's head with great care. Presea was shocked. She had never seen Zelos act this way. Raine led Zelos away so she could start healing the ninja, and Presea sat down next to the stream. Her eyes fell on a quite an irregular flower. It was small, perhaps only five inches tall. A bright green stalk held the flower tall, and small red bells hung off of it. Reaching out a hand, Presea caressed the soft buds, stopping to look at the contrast of her hand to this flower. Her hand was covered by a gray fingerless glove, with plates of armor covering her knuckles and the back of her hand. Seeing the war-ready accessory next to this delicate little flower made her think. How can such pretty things co-exist with things such as war? Drawing her hand back, she turned her head to follow the sound of footsteps coming near. Genis was standing over her, a childish smile on his face.

"What are you looking at?" he prodded, sitting beside her.

"Nothing." The half elf sighed, intertwining his fingers with hers. Presea felt the warmth and softness of his hand through her thick glove, and she squeezed it.

"Do you think...Sheena will be alright?" Presea questioned hesitantly. She thought of all the times Sheena had been kind to her...like the mother she never had. Genis nodded.

"Yeah. If Sheena is anything that's stubborn, and I can promise you some small duel's not gonna bring her down. She'd probably trample Death itself and walk back out the door," he joked, and Presea could not keep the small grin off her lips.

"Yes, that does sound like Sheena."

The two sat for a while, pointing out different things in the pond.

"Look Genis, it's a fish!" Presea giggled. Back when her father was alive, she remembered how once he took her with him fishing. Presea smiled as she remembered falling in and how her sister had teased her about her hair pointing down for once. As if reading her thoughts, Genis grinned at her evilly.

"What is it, Genis?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. Using his other hand, the malicious half elf grabbed her arm and pushed her into the river. Presea squeaked as the water closed in around her, and when she came back up she was dripping wet. The silver-haired boy laughed outright at her shocked expression, her pigtails askew and drooping.

"Genis Sage, you will wish you hadn't done that," Presea warned in a eerily calm tone, her face absolutely blank. With that, the ax-girl grabbed his arms lightning-quick, and threw him into the river. Since she was a bit stronger, he landed with a huge splash, getting Lloyd wet.

"Hey!" the red-clad teenager shouted. Genis wasn't even paying attention as he smiled back at Presea.

"You look ridiculous," she giggled, for the first time in a while.

"Oh yeah?" he replied, a glint in his eyes. "Spread!" Presea squealed as she was sent rocketing into the air, landing and sending water everywhere. She was full-on laughing now. Man, that laugh of hers was beautiful. Genis wished he could hear it more. Presea pounced on him, tackling him into the water. It wasn't long before Lloyd and Colette joined in, and Regal stood on the side, smiling at the scene. Lloyd had the advantage of speed, being able to avoid most sprays. Colette could fly around, also giving her an evasive boost. Presea was slow, which Genis most certainly used against her, but she was so strong that she sent tidal waves at people. Genis clearly had the easiest time with his water magic. By the time the battle had ended everyone was dripping wet. Both ties had fallen out of Presea's hair, her damp pink locks falling around her face. By some miracle, Lloyd's hair remained standing straight up.

"What is in that hair of yours, Lloyd?" Genis asked, pretending to be appalled. Presea and Colette looked funny with their bangs plastered to their foreheads, but Presea was laughing at how strange Genis appeared when his hair was all the same length from the water pressing the locks together. Presea tackled him with a flying hug for good measure, both standing up. They dragged themselves to the shore and the half elf placed his arm around her, the water dripping off their bodies. He pushed some hair out of Presea's face, which looked even longer wet. It surpassed her hips. The river water was pretty cold, and despite the warm sun they were all shivering.

"Okay, everyone gather around me," Genis instructed. He pulled out his kendama, shaking some water out of it before positioning it. A warm wind whipped around the four, blowing their clothes and hair dry. Presea was beginning to pull some rubber bands from her pocket, but Genis stopped her, smiling.

"We aren't going to be fighting any battles," he reasoned, earning a warm grin from Presea. Slipping the ties back into her dress pocket, Genis ran his hand over her pretty pink hair. Presea leaned on him, breathing deeply.

"I still have to punish you for dragging me into the water, Genis," the ax-girl told him, still not moving from under his arm.

"And what might that punishment be?" the half elf questioned, humor coloring his voice. Now Presea pulled away, turning to face him at eye-level. Her face was serious, as if she was concocting an evil plan in her mind. In one swift movement, she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him forward, causing their lips to meet. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was still sweet.

"I believe that was a fitting response for you giving me the most fun I've had in ages," Presea smiled, wrapping Genis in her embrace. He pulled his arms around her as well, liking the fact that her pigtail was no longer in his face when he leaned into the hug.

"I think I like your punishments," Genis muttered. Presea giggled slightly, pulling him tighter. "Presea...watch it...can't...breathe..." With a gasp the pink-haired girl jumped back, looking at him with an expression of concern.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized quickly, then frowned at him when Genis began to laugh. "Not funny!" Presea protested, crossing her arms.

"It was...haha...just a little bit," the silver-haired boy managed between laughs, tossing his head back. The ax-girl couldn't help but smile at his childishness, it was infectious.

"Do not scare me like that," Presea told him, knowing that he wouldn't listen. Turning her head to follow the sound of a loud shout, she saw Raine and Zelos coming towards them.

"How's Sheena?" Colette asked, the ever present worry in her voice. Zelos smirked.

"Oh, she's fine. Before you know it she'll be up and punching me like she used to," the Chosen of Tethe'alla joked. Zelos was definitely back to himself again. His gaze turned to Presea. "Oh, little rosebud, you look so cute with your hair down!"

"If Sheena were here, she would have hit you," Lloyd remarked. Zelos flashed his perfect white teeth.

"Why yes, she would have, but since she's not here-" The redhead was cut off promptly as Raine smacked the back of his head.

"Don't forget I'm here too, and I've had plenty of experience hitting Genis," the professor warned. Genis sighed.

"It's true..."

"So, what did you all do while we were gone?" Raine said, quickly changing the subjects.

"We splashed in the water, Professor Sage," Lloyd replied with a smirk, earning a shudder from the healer.

"Ugh..I hate water..." she muttered. Regal, who had stayed silent this whole time, finally spoke up.

"What should we do now?" he asked, always planning ahead.

"I suppose we should stay here until Sheena is fully recovered. We can spend the night at Tiga's place, he always let's us rest there," Raine suggested, and that was exactly what they did.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Before going to sleep, Presea turned to talk to Genis. She had to be extremely quiet since they were not the only ones in the room.

"Genis?" she whispered, and his eyes opened to reveal deep blue orbs.

"Hm?"

"I...just wanted to say...thank you. It's been a while since I've been able to have fun," she admitted, staring at him with those entrancing ice-blue eyes. Genis smiled, kissing her forehead.

"You're welcome." His smile slid off his face slowly, as did the happy glint in Presea's eyes.

"G-Genis? What is it?" she whispered, suddenly nervous.

"You said it was a while since you had fun...how long were you trapped in that emotionless crystal state?" the silver-haired boy asked quietly, indirectly asking the question Presea knew she would be answering by responding: _How old are you, really?_ The ax-girl lowered her eyelids, allowing her dark lashes to obscure her crystalline orbs. Much to Genis' dismay, she began to cry. The warm tears slid slowly down her cheeks and off her nose as she lay on her side. Her small body shook as Presea sucked in quick breaths.

"Presea...I'm sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'm really sorry," the half elf apologized quickly. _Rrg, I forgot it was such a sensitive topic for her, _he chastised himself. Presea sniffled a little, raising her gaze to look at him with misty eyes. It nearly broke his heart. "I'm sorry." Like he had many times before, Genis reached out a hand to wipe away her tears, the inviting softness and warmth of her cheek too much for him. The half elf scooted a little closer and kissed her on the cheek.

"Genis...I should apologize. I overreacted over a small request. However, I...would prefer...not to reveal my real age...yet," Presea finished, choosing each word with great care.

"That's okay. Just remember though, that I care about you. If anything's bothering you, please tell me. I want to help you through it. Don't carry burdens alone," Genis told his girlfriend sincerely. Presea nodded.

"Alright. I promise." With that, she snuggled closer to him and dozed off to a not so pleasant dream.

:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:/:

_Presea wandered around the dark space, unable to see anything but blackness. _

_"Hello? Is anyone here?" she called, slightly frightened. _

_"Presea..." a voice called, causing the ax-girl to jump. _

_"Who's there?" Presea called again. _

_"Presea..." The voice was familiar, yet she couldn't even place whether it was male or female. Then, the one, single call turned into three, which turned into ten, which turned into twenty, all calling in different volumes, from different places. One would whisper in here ear while another screamed far off. The wispy, caring tones turned into angry yells, spitting her name out. Hundreds of voices swarmed her, engulfing the girl in their angry shouts. Presea held her hands over her ears, but the voices stayed just as loud._

_"Stop! Stop it!" Presea screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. She could feel hands grab her wrists and pull them away from her ears, but still she could only see blackness. The unknown person slapped her, the force causing her head to whip to the side. Her cheek stung, the hot tears causing it to burn even worse._

_"Genis! Genis! Where are you?" she called desperately, wanting him to be here and hold her until it went away. _

_"Right here!" Indeed, she heard his voice. It was hateful, disgusted. _

_"G-Genis?" Presea stammered, unable to believe he would ever talk to her that way. _

_"You hypocrite! How can you have me pour my heart out, only to keep all your secrets to yourself! You liar! You don't love me!" _

_Before the ax-girl could even respond, she fell through the floor. She still couldn't see anything, but Presea could feel the wind rushing past her, the feeling of her stomach rising to her throat. A bright light pierced the darkness, like a star in the midst of the night. Inside the light, she saw a monster, its jaws open wide to catch her in its tooth-filled mouth. Hundreds of the sharp things punctuated its mouth, each on ready to tear her apart. Presea kept falling, the small monster growing larger and larger as she got closer. They were only a few seconds apart now. Three...two...one...!_

_.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,._

Instead of landing in a monster's pointy canal, her eyes flew open with a gasp to reveal a simple room. Presea was drenched in cold sweat and her chest was rising and falling rapidly, trying to catch her breath after such a terrible nightmare. Laying on her back, she stared at the ceiling, contemplating its whiteness. It was so different, so much more inviting than the black space she was in inside the dream. Without warning, a gasp erupted from somewhere to her left, and she rolled her head to the side to see Genis, also trying desperately to pull in air. His eyes shone with fear, and sweat covered his face.

"Genis?" she whispered quietly, tears prickly the corners of her eyes as he brought back details of her nightmare. With obvious shock, he turned his head to face her.

"Presea?" he called, the half elf's voice breathy and scared. Clumps of his silver hair stuck to his damp forehead.

"Did you...have a nightmare as well?" Presea asked, reaching out her clammy hand to brush away the silver hair that stuck to his face. Genis was still so shaken he couldn't even bring himself to respond. He simply nodded, trying to control his breathing. Presea was also drawing in heavy breaths, still feeling the adrenaline course through her. She felt his terror 100%.

"What was it about?" she pried gently, wondering how they woke up at such close times. She watched sadly as tears filled his eyes, and she knew whatever he had dreamed was just as awful as what she experience. The last thing Presea wanted was for him to share that pain. His voice finally came, sounding unstable and frightened.

"I...I was in a dark room. All I could see...was blackness. Then, I heard my name...being called. When I replied, I only...I only heard the voices multiply. They yelled at me angrily...it was a familiar voice, but I don't know...I don't know who. Then, I called out for...for you, and I heard your voice...but you started to yell at me. About...about how I didn't really...love you, because all I wanted to do was...was get close to you so...I could...steal your secrets. I wanted to tell you...that that wasn't true, but I started falling...falling down in the blackness. And when I looked down, I saw-"

"A bright light, with a monster at the bottom with hundreds of teeth, waiting to tear you apart," Presea finished, her fear taking on a whole new level. Genis stared at her, nodding slowly.

"How...How did you know?" he asked, still staring unbelievibly. Presea looked deep into his eyes, confusion and fright bouncing around in her mind.

"I...had the same dream. Except...it was you I called for."

The two sat in silence for a few moments, before Genis spoke.

"What's going on?"

Presea sighed, her breathing finally back to normal despite how scattered her mind was.

"I do not know. It must be early...and we need to sleep. Let's just...try to forget about it, alright?" Presea suggested, but her voice shook at the mention of sleep. Genis looked like sleep was the last thing he was going to do.

"But...I don't want to sleep...I'm scared.." Before he could mutter another word, Presea pulled him closer and touched their lips together. She kissed gently, reassuringly. Genis kissed her back, slightly hesitantly.

"Genis...the dream was a dream. Nothing more. I can reassure you, I am aware you love me, and I'm sure you know I love you. Please, for me, try and rest..." Presea trailed off a little, kissing him once more. His lips were soft, but his jaw seemed to tremble. After breaking away, she reached out a hand and ran it along his jawline, steadying it.

"I'm right here. Please Genis, for me," she pleaded further. Presea knew he did need his sleep, after all he was still only a twelve year old boy. Genis brought out his own hand and ran it over her hair, stopping when he reached the back of Presea's head. The half elf pulled her head to his chest, resting his chin on her pink hair. She embraced Genis, pulling him closer, their still damp bodies pressed together.

"For you, Presea," he mumbled, almost instantly falling asleep. Presea smiled to herself, knowing she was right. He was still very tired. _Goodnight, Genis... _she thought before falling back into the hold of sleep.

-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-)-

**Dun dun dun! Tehe ^-^ Now for my little author's note. A lot of things to cover here. First, someone told me (not saying who) has informed me that in a romance novel, if your characters fall in love right off the bat, there's no story. Needless to say this person has not read my story. I believe that this is untrue. If they do fall in love in the first chapter, it interests the reader, especially when the characters are that of a game and they don't really know who they are (like everyone on the original site I posted this on). Not only that, but the story changes to be about the struggles and challenges the couple faces. Also, since the reader can become interested by the instant romance, they will read on and get to know the characters without having to play the game it's based on. Through this, if I make a prequel, which I will, the reader will already be curious and not all uninterested because they don't understand the characters. So there. Okay, another point. I showed a bit of this story to my friend, and she was so shocked at me having two twleve year olds sleep together even after I explained why. People today often think of sleeping with someone in the dirty light, like actually "sleeping with" someone. In my story, it was just an action between friends, albeit close friends, but still. They are even in love, which makes it even more appropriate, I believe, especially for the reasons they do it. This story is pure romance, (and just an itty bitty lust) no lemons are ever going to appear in this story or the next. Again, I'm sorry for the wait and I promise it won't be that long ever again, hat least until I have to start actually writing tand and not just copy-pasting. Speaking of which, only four more chapters and I'm completely caught up with updates! It is a dead day indeed. Tune in for more next chapte. (Get ready for this story to head in a darker direction),**

**BE**


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four: Sybak

**Dedication to my fantastic LA teacher, Mrs. Beach, for giving me the author's bible (also known as a book with "interesting" words to replace "boring" words). So, if my writing all of a sudden seems better word-choice wise, then you know you have her to thank, although reading this again it might of been a little...over the top. Okay, now for disclaimer. I'm gonna get some help for this one! :D**

**BE: Genis, you're the center of this chapter, so if you please.**

**Genis: I am? Yes! I get to talk about Presea with new words that do her justice!**

**BE: My old words weren't that bad, geez. Anyways, disclaimer, please?**

**Genis: Fine, fine. Black_Eyes7 does not own ToS, because if she did I would have nightmares every night about what she would have me and Presea do while the world was at stake. All rights go to Namco, the lovely people who made me for real!**

**BE: Grr...it wouldn't be that bad! I mean, I did get you the girl you'd been crushing on since the minute you met her.**

**Genis: Perhaps, but I think the lovely readers would like to read about me now and not whether or not you would have been a good owner of ToS.**

**BE: Grr...fine. You say lovely a lot for a guy, you know that?**

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Last night had been so peculiar. As Genis piloted his rheaird, he observed his surroundings. A cloudless sky above his head, lush green plant life rushing by in a blur. On a rheaird you didn't notice how fast you were going until you looked down. The quiet hum of the engine played in his ears and the wind blew his tangled silver strands into his face, threatening to break up his vision. Once again he turned his head, but a certain pink-haired girl was in his field of view. All the times Genis had seen her, right beside him, and she still took his breath away. He studied her long, glistening pink tresses that were tied up into two ponytails on either sides of her head, sticking straight out. Her silky bangs ruffled slightly and the two long pieces of hair that rested by her ears whipped around her face. Genis sighed. Her face...that was a jewel. You didn't even want to get him started, because he could go on forever. Her wide sapphire eyes, as light in color as beryl and framed with long, dark lashes, stared out into some space between the land they were flying above. Like usual, she was deep in thought. Her ivory skin only brought out the colors of her hair and eyes with contrast. Her thin lips were cracked from over-exposure to the dry air, and her delicate nose was to be found a little above. Full cheeks peeked out from her profile, as well as the tiny sighting of a defined, arched pink eyebrow. Her petite, ethereal frame stood tall in a very captivating way as she piloted the rheaird. With his wide vocabulary, he could find millions of words to describe her. Entrancing, bewitching, divine, enthralling, exquisite...but isn't always like this when you're in love? Genis was startled as a minuscule, almost invisible smile graced her lips. Her eyes flickered over to him briefly before turning back to the land ahead of them, her grin growing to a noticeable point. Genis decided it would be best for him to also pay attention to the terrain ahead. However, he could not fight off the subtle upward curving of his own lips.

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The group arrived in Sybak, gaping slightly. Enormous academies could be found wherever you looked, as well as young students in white lab coats roaming the illuminated street, and that was all there was to it. Sometimes, though, less is more. In this case, the simplicity of it on such a grand scale was simple astounding. They continued deeper into the city, looking for the academy. Raine looked about, searching for anything that would resemble it.

"There! The Imperial Research Academy," she perceived, reading off of a sign not too far ahead.

"All right, let's go!" Lloyd commanded, walking with a dutiful stride to replace the mindless wander. Raine glanced back down to the rest of the group, observing something peculiar. Was it just her, or was something wrong with Genis? He looked slightly ill, with slightly closed eyes, as if keeping them open was a laborious task, and a slight swing in his usual sturdy walk. Not only him, but Presea as well. She seemed to be trying to cover it up, though.

"Genis, Presea, are you two all right?" the healer badgered. Both of the young teens simply nodded, Presea more stably than Genis. Their eyelids kept descending, and the rest of the group stopped and turned to look at the couple and see what was going on. "Are you sure?" Raine continued, "Because you look awfully-"

Her suspicions were proved correct as both Genis and Presea dropped to the ground instantaneously, limp as rag dolls as their eyes rolled back in their skulls. Their bodies were contorted in uncomfortable angles on the stone road, lying there unconscious.

"Genis! Presea!" Raine shrieked, dropping to her knees to inspect them. Within seconds people wearing white coats were coming up to see what the problem was. Both their pulse and breathing were irregular, as if it was taking an enormous amount of energy just to keep themselves alive, which may have been the case.

"Have they eaten anything irregular? Do they have a low tolerance for warm weather? Have they been getting enough sleep?" one researcher hounded. Raine backed up, too shocked to really answer.

"I-I don't know...th-they j-just collapsed..." she trembled. An middle-aged woman in a lab coat took her hand reassuringly and led her with the group in tow to the Research Academy.

"Don't worry, they will take your friends in as soon as possible. Just follow me. My name's Aria," the woman announced. Raine was still shaking from how quickly everything had happened.

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Genis woke up in a tiny bed, barely big enough to hold him. The faint feeling of suction cups on his skin and soft beeping in his ears gave away where he was. In one swift movement, Genis opened his eyes and sat up, gasping and clutching his chest. His gasping was coupled with another's...the half elf looked to the side to see...Presea, sitting in an equally small bed, drawing quick, ragged breaths and grabbing her chest. She looked up at him, fear clearly displayed within her eyes. Her hair had been let down and was slightly matted. A rather tall and slender man in a lab coat walked into the room, looking at them both gaping for air like fish out of water. He did not display any surprise or even recognition.

"I see you two are up. Allow me to check to monitors," the man said in a slightly flat tone before going over to a computer. A small warmth in Genis' chest quickly burst into flames, causing him to near explode from fury. Presea noticed the dangerous look on his face and pulled the sheets up to her chin while she was sitting up. Genis slammed his fist down beside himself.

"What the heck is wrong with me? What the heck is wrong with us? What's going on? Tell us!" he screamed in a totally uncharacteristic rage. Presea whimpered, wincing slightly. The doctor didn't even acknowledge him.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? WE DESERVE TO-"

Genis was cut off as a high-pitched, strangled scream tore out from Presea. All his anger dissipated in an instant as care for her smothered the embers. She was clutching her head, screaming.

"Presea?!" Genis called to her, wanted to reach over and shake her, but their beds were too far apart. As quickly as it had begun, her screaming stopped and she snapped her head up with a gasp, intelligent blue eyes searching around the room.

"Genis...what's going on..." she murmured, sounding on the verge of tears, her crystalline eyes frightened and confused. Presea began to tremble, lowering her head so her hair fell forward to hide her face. Genis felt the dismay rising inside him. What was going on? The half elf was never angry unless for a good reason. According to the situation, he had not had a reasonable explaination for being so infuriated. Presea too...she had obviously been in pain, because she wouldn't have screamed otherwise. However...she's not normally so timid. The same question, "What is going going on?" kept reappearing with every difference he noticed. There was also that strange nightmare they had both had the night before...

Genis watched the doctor with wary eyes, noticing how calm he was as he looked at the monitors.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I did not mean to-"

"Do not apologize," the man cut him off. "I am looking at the results. This is very peculiar. Your emotional balance is upset, as well as the part of your brain that controls dreams. It's like...it's connected to something else, like something is influencing it. I am beginning to think...it's her." The doctor pointed at Presea, who had risen her head since to listen. She stared, speechless.

"Me? What have I done?" the ax-girl faltered. Genis grasped a large amount of the coarse sheets in his fist, irritation rising. He would not let this stranger accuse Presea of something and not explain it. Then, almost as if realizing what was happening, he released the covers with a shaky hand, even more disturbed. This was not what Genis Sage would be acting like.

"Ms. Combatir, it seems you have become...linked to Mr. Sage somehow. At least, that's what I believe. Have you two been experiencing strange things? Besides the collapse earlier and the strange emotions, anything else? Perhaps having to do with dreams?" the doctor prodded.

"Last night...we both experienced the same dream," Presea mumbled. The doctor grabbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Indeed, this is peculiar. You are both humans, are you not?"

Presea looked over to Genis, who, in turn, looked away.

"No...I'm a...half elf," Genis admitted.

"Ah, that may be a key factor. Do not worry, many of the people who work in this facility are half elves. You will be treated with respect. If you wish, you may disconnect yourselves from the machines. However, you may not leave the room. I shall be back shortly to tell you what has been found out." With that, the doctor strode out of the room with perfect posture, holding a binder in his right arm. The moment the door shut, both Genis and Presea ripped off the wires and ran over to each other. Genis wrapped his arms around her, allowing Presea to be fully incased. She, in response, brought her arms around his stomach, crying into his shirt.

"G-Genis...w-what's...h-h-happening?"

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**I know, it wasn't nearly as long as I normally make them. However, with the new words I had to keep referencing to dictionaries and stuff and a single paragraph would take me an hour. So yeah, that's why it's short. Anyone have any guesses on why this is happening? Hehehe:) I like to torture them. Just kidding, but I like dark drama, maybe a little too much, and Genis and Presea get the brunt of the attack:) Anyways, I hope you liked it, I would really appreciate feedback on word choice (i.e. Did I use it right? Does it sound better?) so please, review! I forgot to say that last time, shame on me! But yes, feedback is very much appreciated, I am quite curious to see what you think. See ya,**

**BE**


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five: Goodbye

**I. Love. This. Chapter. And all the ones from this point on. Prepare, for the dark ages. ^-^**

**REVIEWS! I love you *-***

**diety: Looks like you need to read to find out! ^-^ thanks for reviews**

**AnriMia24: I love your reviews, they mean much to me ^-^ I actually did eat some cookies and finally stood up to a bully at school; I'm in a great mood :) Thanks about the words, I've toned it down to, like you said, the words I am comfortable with. About Presea telling him, hehehe I've got it all planned out about whether or not she will, or perhaps he will find out regardless? HMM? Well stick around and you'll find out ^-^ although let's slip in Presea's shoes for a sec: She's convinced that something is wrong with her for being...that age, yet still looking young. Not to mention with all the trauma in her life she is terrified of losing him, and might hold back. Thinking about that...you will see what she chooses. Later. :)**

**Disclaimer! :D I'm doing it quick today:**

**Me no own ToS. Namco does.**

**Well? What are you doing reading this? Read the story!**

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Presea stood in the warmth of Genis' arms, the usual feeling of his comfort seeping into her skin gone. She could not control her tears, as much as she hated it. Gulping around the lump in her throat, she attempted to talk to Genis.

"Genis...I'm sorry. This is my fault," she apologized, squeezing onto him tighter without regard for her own strength. Lucky for Genis, it wasn't anything bone-breaking. Presea gasped as she felt something lightly touch her hair, shifting the pink strands ever so slightly from side to side before sliding down to rub her back. The edge of the increasing panic slowed a bit as the soothing touch danced its way across her back. The ax-girl tilted her head up to look into Genis' cerulean eyes. He tried to smile, but it came out a little forced. It was obvious he felt the same fear she did. The fear of the solution was the biggest for Presea. If the problem was something unheard of, then the solution couldn't be very good just because it would be partly guessing. All of a sudden, the steel door opened loudly. A young woman with auburn hair and hazel eyes burst in, a shocked look on her face.

"Presea?! Why are you back here?"

Even hanging onto Genis, Presea caught a glimpse of the woman and immediately pushed back to get a better look. It was...her. One of the people that had helped Kate to experiment on her. One of the people that had assisted in almost killing her. One of the people that had cursed her with a feeble attempt at a cruxis crystal. One of those people.

"A-Aria? Why are you here? S-stay away from me!" Presea faltered, scared for herself. Acting like a child, she ran across the room and stood with her back to them, much like she had when she encountered Kate. Faintly she could hear Genis and Aria's voices.

"How does she know you?" Genis probed, unaware of the consequence of asking that question. The consequence of finding out something you didn't want to know. Aria hung her head, stray locks falling into her face.

"I was one of the people that helped experiment on Presea with Kate," she mumbled. Presea cringed, wondering how Genis would react. Just hearing Aria say that made her want to be sick. Memories flashed back at her, of countless days of a demented cycle. You'd come in, lay down, and they'd poke, prod, and stab you in any which way, trying to figure out the most efficient way to equip her with this...this thing that she had thought would allow her to save her daddy. Instead it had brought not only her father's death, but her sister's as well. Her body had been abused then...and the day they finally got the crystal on her was even worse. That was the day she had felt herself slipping away from within. Genis' voice broke her thoughts, like a mirror being smashed. His single question made her heart throb.

"Do you know what you did to her?"

Aria's voice was very confident, but it was beginning to lose that strength little by little.

"Yes."

"Why did you do it?"

"They made us. It was that or die. That's the rule about half elves: Do the research or die."

Aria held much regret in her voice; She had hated herself for doing that to poor Presea. The girl had lost so much, but she couldn't have avoided it.

"No. You didn't research. You experimented," Presea retorted coldly, her cobalt eyes showing no emotion. "You didn't take the time to gather information, I was your information. You ruined my life, but not once thought about un-equipping this crystal in all that time." Presea turned to look at Aria, whose eyes were full of unshed tears.

"That is impossible," she whispered, practically inaudible.

"Wh-what?" Genis asked, hoping that wasn't true. Aria's calm, regretful demeanor turned to one of fury.

"Do you want to know what I found out about your current conditions or no?" she spat. When no one said anything, she continued. "Presea's crystal was never perfect, and it tends to react strangely when exposed to certain things. Strong emotion, such as love, is one of them. Genis' exsphere connected with that reaction, forming a link between the two. It messed with your dreams and just ability to serve as individuals. The fact that both of you passed out is concerning, because that should not have happened. It's quite likely that the key crest Presea wears is amlifying it, strengthening to connection by the seconds. The simple process of removing the key crest should be enough for this connection to wither down to the point of where it will not be noticable. If this is not stopped soon, you both will eventually die from the large mixture of unstable mana in your bodies. Therefor, Presea, I ask you let me remove your key crest."

Presea placed her hand over it. "No! I cannot...it's the only thing that makes me human again!"

"I can't lose Presea, not after she just got her emotions back!" Genis cried. Aria just looked at them sternly.

"I'm sorry, but it's the only way. Remove it now," she demanded. Presea looked at Genis worriedly, not accepting what news her ears had brought.

"Genis...I'm sorry..." she told him, angst and reluctance edging into her voice. Genis jumped, hot tears climbing into the inside of his bottom lids.

"Presea! But you can't-"

"I can't let you die, Genis! I'll get back to my normal self somehow...but this is the only way." A single tear dripped off her cheek, silently, mournfully. Presea strode up to him quickly, pulling his lips to hers swiftly. It tasted salty from the tears falling from their eyes. Presea said she'd return to herself...but even she had her doubts. They'd have to find a key crest that protected from this, and that'd take some time. When they pulled away, evidence of crying showed on the clear tracks that stood out on their cheeks. Presea brought up one hand to stroke his soft cheek one last time, before her other hand came up to her key crest. Genis' eyes widened in horror, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks. Presea began to cry as well as she looked at the cruelty of everything. Life enjoyed watching her suffer.

"Goodbye Genis. I...I love you," Presea whispered before yanking off her key crest. Time stopped for Genis as her eyes went cloudy and the key crest slid between her fingers as she lost her will to keep a grip on it. Her crying immediately ceased, like she had been commanded to stop and was the faithful listening servant. Her whole presence just seemed like a doll standing there in her place, with blank eyes and perfect posture and arms glued firmly to her sides.

"P...Presea?" Genis called softly, knowing the cold truth. She was not going to respond, and if she did it would hold no meaning. Aria came up to Genis and touched him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry Genis, it was the only way," she told him reassuringly. Rage boiled inside of Genis, finally exploding out into the open. He threw her arm off his shoulder, not in the mood for sympathy.

"No! It wasn't the only way! You take advantage of her, knowing that she listens to the logical explanation without ever questioning it. How DARE you put her back into that state!" he fumed, screaming at the now frightened Aria. This woman was responsible for Presea's suffering! Seeing the dangerous look in Genis' eyes, she tried to calm him down.

"G-Genis! I'm sorry! It couldn't be helped! I'm sor-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT CRAP! You aren't sorry!" Hate burned deep within the half elf's eyes like the raging seas. Aria stumbled backwards, squeaking.

"P-Presea! Protect me!" she called.

"Understood."

In a flash, the pink-haired girl came in between Aria and Genis, axe drawn into a battle position. Her normally bright blue eyes were blank and held no emotion whatsoever. All of Genis' anger dissipated into sorrow. Tears began to run down his face. Presea Combatir was not the girl standing right in front of him. It was an empty shell resembling her, like the first time Genis met her. Upon seeing his change in attitude, her arms returned to her sides and she straighted, looking like that doll again.

"Presea...what have they done to you?" he asked mournfully, crying steadily. He pulled her into his embrace, while she just stood there, limp and lifeless, staring into space like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Tears fell silently off Genis' face as he held her, Presea's stillness and unresponsiveness only reminding him of what had happened to her. The key crest that had cluttered to the ground had cracks in it and pieces that had broken off. "Presea..." he muttered, his voice cracking from holding back a needed scream. They had taken the girl he loved away from him...and she might not even come back. Now he couldn't hold it. An anguished, pained yell tore from his throat, only adding to his hurt as Presea still failed to respond. She might had been dead, it would have made no difference. Genis let her go, and she walked away to stand next to a computer. He had noticed Aria had fled, probably too much for her to face what she had done, or helped do. With overwhelming sadness he slid to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. In an instant, the doors swung open with a bang revealing Raine, Lloyd, Colette, Zelos, Regal, and Sheena all came in, looking around.

"Why is the little rosebud standing by herself? You two get in a fight?" Zelos smirked, his sly smile faltering as he saw Genis curled up on the floor in tears.

"Where is Presea's key crest?" Raine asked, panic creeping into her tone. Genis turned his head to the side, not wanting to talk about it.

"Genis...what happened?" Lloyd prodded, concerened for his best friend.

"Please Genis, talk to us. We want to help," Regal told him, sincerity shining in his words. Swallowing loudly, Genis began to explain.

"Well...Presea's crystal was having some issues, reacting to strong emotions she was feeling. It established a connection with my exsphere, and the key crest was amplifying it. If she continued to wear it, we'd both die...so...so she chose to remove it...and...and now...she's...!" he faltered, unable to finish. the shock of reality hitting him like a brick wall.

"Presea, are you alright?" Regal asked her, trying to get her to respond.

"Physical form: No injuries detected. Energy levels are normal. Precentage of being harmed in current enviroment: 1.2983 percent," the ax-girl recited, sounding like a robot. No one attempted to make contact with her afterwards.

"I can make her a new key crest!" Lloyd suggested. Genis shook his head.

"Then we'll be left with the same problem again. We need to figure out how to create one with a barrier to this...defect. If...there even is one," Genis told the swordsman.

"Well, we can find out tomorrow. It's late, we need our rest. Let's go to the inn," Raine suggested, more of a command than a presentation of an option. Genis had not noticed how long he might have been out for, or how long he and Presea were in this room. Saying nothing, he simply followed the group out, leading Presea by her hand.

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Genis watched Presea laying there in her bed on her back, eyes closed and features like a robot who was shut down. It was so different than the normal Presea, curled up on her side, face calm and content. Now...she was rigid, stoic, empty, like nothing would disturb her. Her arms, tight against her sides and blending with the figure of her perfectly straight body. It was eerie, like the real Presea had been shunned from her own body. He smoothed away her pink bangs, revealing her forehead. Leaning down, the half elf kissed it ever so gently, murmuring to her as he pulled away.

"We'll get you back to your nomal self. Good night, I love you, Presea."

Genis smoothed her bangs back into place, staring at the strange way her hair fanned out, like a pink aurora. The tiny girl didn't show any response at all, just laid there, totally shut off from the world. Genis stole a glance at the horrid gem doing all this...the bright red crystal at the base of her neck. The golden key crest was gone, revealing grotesque veins sticking out around the jewel. What kind of pain was she enduring that she couldn't show? Genis cast on last look at her sleeping form before leaving the room. _Presea...come back to me..._

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Sorry, this chapter was shortish too! When I wrote it my finger was broken, making it impossible to type. Anyways! Hope you enjoyed this, indeed we will all miss Presea. See you next chappy! Review are very appreciated ^-^

BE


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six: Back to Ozette

**~ I'm so excited! I just can't hide it! ~ Forgive the sadistic part of me that enjoys these chapters, she's a little...special. Anyways, disclaimer and off you go! ZOOOM.**

**I don't own ToS, but gosh I wish I was brilliant enough to come up with it. Unfortunately, it is all Namco's. **

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"Presea, you need to eat," Genis coaxed as the pink-haired girl sat on the couch, staring into nothingness.

"There is no purpose in eating. It is nothing but an illogical use of time. It reduces daylight use by 17%," she replied in a monotone. Genis sighed heavily.

"Presea...please," he added seriously. She turned her empty, cobalt eyes to him, not revealing anything. There was so much Genis would give just to see the smallest shred of emotion in her eyes. She took the bowl from his outstretched hand slowly, cautiously, as if it would jump out and attack her.

"Understood," she finally said. Eyeing it with an unfocused stare, Presea slowly took a bite. Steady, mechanic spoonfuls found their way into her mouth, and Genis' shoulders slumped in relief. She's been so stubborn lately, he thought. She...wasn't her. Genis left her to eat on the couch and returned back to the actual kitchen where everyone had begun eating.

"Did you get her to eat?" Raine asked, shoveling eggs into her mouth. Genis rubbed the back of his head before sitting down.

"Yeah...she's being pretty stubborn. Raine...I miss her," he added sadly.

"Come on Genis! Cheer up! We're going to see Dirk after breakfast and he can help us make the key crest," Colette chimed with her usual optimism.

"What about you, Colette? With your sickness at the same time..." Genis trailed off, poking his eggs.

"Don't worry about it! We got the zircon, so we can take a small break. Let's get Presea back to normal first, okay?" the angel smiled. Lloyd, sitting beside her, tried to talk around his mouthful of food.

"Yeah, my dad will know what to do!" he announced confidently. Genis smiled a bit and nibbled on his toast, not having much of an appetite.

"Lloyd...you...ugh, never mind," Genis mumbled.

"You know, brat, when you start off something, you gotta finish it," Zelos commented in a "duh" tone. Genis pulled on his silver wisps, sighing.

"Well...Lloyd, you remember what it was like when Colette lost her heart. It's like that...but maybe even worse because I know she willingly returned to living hell," he explained, tugging on all the hair falling in front of his eyes, the dull ache giving him a distraction from the immense emotional pain.

"Sheesh, Genis, you need to eat. If she's eating, you need to as well," Sheena said, quickly changing the subjects. However, one glance at Lloyd and his pained expression let him know that he understood. Without another word, everyone finished their breakfasts.

Even though no words came out of his mouth, thousands bounced around his head, all revolving around Presea. It was almost like he had restarted, which in a way he had. The butterflies always swarmed in the pitt of his stomach when he talked to her, and being around her made him nervous. The ache in his heart to hold her hand got conflicted with his brain's logic that she would not appreciate it in this state. His mind kept replaying memories of the real Presea: her soft lips on his, her petite arms that seemed like they were made to wrap around him, her delicate head lying on his shoulder. He could lie with her head on his chest all day, playing with her silky pink locks while she laid there, a content smile on her face. He missed waking up and the first thing to greet him was her sleeping figure, huddled up to him with a small smile on her face, taking in steady breaths. Her scent would come with every breath he drew, sweet and savory. With every shift he would make she would let loose a short, tired sigh and move to get closer to him. Genis missed all these things so bad it hurt, and it had barely been a day. Leaning back slightly to look past Sheena, he saw her sitting on the couch, hands folded neatly in her lap instead of the usual where she would move them to her sides, or her eyes, once beautiful and sparkling now dead and empty. Even her hair, normally in her signature pigtails was different as she no longer had the will to care about putting it up. Instead it cascaded down her back like a waterfall, the usually prominent bangs and shorter pieces of hair by her ears blended in with the rest, giving her a whole different demeanor. The cruxis crystal shone almost evilly by the base of her neck, as if gloating what it had done to her. The poison of the crystal showed in the area of flesh around the gem was deformed grotesquely. Why couldn't it had been me? I would die to take her out of this misery, he thought. As everyone finished their breakfasts (or in Genis' case, cleaned up), the half elf walked over to Presea.

"Presea, are you coming with us?" he questioned, knowing she didn't have a choice but curious as to what she would say. Her baby blue eyes blinked once, and she stood up.

"Yes. I just want to go home," she told him, acting like she had back before she had the key crest. Genis tried to relax, talking to her was nerve-wracking again.

"Where is your home, Presea?" Genis probed, knowing the answer but hoping that asking this politely would tell them if she remembered anything. Presea closed her eyes, keeping a blank face.

"Ozette," she replied simply, opening her eyes back up. Genis tried to smile, but it was difficult when she was so emotionless.

"Alright, we'll take you home," he reassured her. Presea blinked once and went outside, following everyone else who had already left. Genis was the last one to exit the inn. As everyone boarded their rheiards, a bit of an issue was discovered.

"Um, Professor Sage, I don't think Presea will be able to pilot a rheiard in this state," Colette pointed out.

"That's alright, she can ride with Genis," Raine replied, unsure if Presea would agree to it but she knew it was pointless to mention this to Colette. Genis, who had overheard this, turned to the ax-girl.

"Presea, would you get on?" he asked, wonder whether or not she heard him when she continued to stare into space. Before he called her name again, she turned and boarded the rheiard, settling in the spot behind Genis. It felt even more different to have her behind him, because she no longer wrapped her arms around him tightly, setting her chin on his shoulder. Now she stood tall, refusing to hold onto anything.

"Everyone good?" Lloyd called. After replies of conformation, they took to the air. The ride was so dreary compared to last time they had ridden. The sky seemed like Presea's eyes; once brilliant and crystalline, now bleary and opaque. The forest beneath was no longer a jubilant emerald, but a sickening green color. Worst of all, there was no enchanting pink-haired girl flashing a heartwarming smile at him.

"I want to go home," a voice behind him says. Genis' elven ears pick it up easily and he shouts to the others.

"Should we take her back to Ozette first? You remember last time; she just wants to be home and won't cooperate very well until the key crest is made," Genis shouted.

"If the rosebud wants to go home, let's take her! After all, the worst possible thing we could do was take her to another world. That's way past 'out of her comfort zone,'" Zelos replied simply.

"Yeah, we probably should. I don't think we want to make her uncomfortable," Colette agreed. However, Lloyd, for once, had something intelligent to say.

"Does anyone wonder why she acts like his? I mean, last time it was because she didn't know her family was dead and she didn't need to work, but...it's like she's forgotten everything. Maybe she has, maybe she doesn't remember anything..." Lloyd suggested. Genis shook his head fiercely.

"No! That can't be it! She just...doesn't know what she's doing like the last time," Genis protested. Still, the idea Lloyd had brought up was now a tiny nagging in the back of his mind that, without a doubt, would grow into a head pounding possibility. The group rode over to just outside the small town where Presea dismounted swiftly and began her evenly paced walk to her home.

"Wait, Presea!" Genis called. She stopped, her back facing towards him.

"Lloyd, do you really think it's alright for her to go by herself? What if Cruxis tries to take her again?" Genis whispered.

"That's a valid point," Regal put in. Raine sighed.

"I figured you might want to hear what Dirk has to say," she told him.

"Well, I do...but I'm more concerned about her," the half elf explained.

"Fine, fine! Let's just...Genis stay here with her. We'll all go to Dirk's, alright?" Sheena barked impatiently.

"Why, that sounds like a lovely idea my voluptuous hun-"

Zelos barely started saying his pet name for her before a fist connected with his jaw. Genis glanced over at Presea, waiting patiently outside the town.

"Okay, see you guys in a bit," he said, watching them mount and take off. He finally lowered his hand from waving when he could no longer see them, and turned towards Presea who was still standing there.

"I must go to the Gaoracchia Forest," she told him, finally turning around. It sent chills down his spine to think of that place; it was dark, creepy, full of monsters, and known for people getting lost inside. Presea was probably the only person in both worlds that could navigate her way through alright. Genis walked alongside her up until they reached the tree she was going to chop down. It must've been one of the most frightening things Genis had ever seen. It was a tree as big around as he was tall, and she simply stood next to it, took a stance, and swung. A small girl like her you wouldn't expect to make a dent in it. However, one swing and her axe cut one-third of the way through it. Presea repositioned her axe and swung again, the tree beginning to lean. Without any trace of change in her facial expression she swung again, and this time the tree hit the ground with a resounding boom. It somewhat resembled a thunderclap, except ten times as loud. So loud, in fact, that Genis could have sworn the very ground beneath them shook. Presea didn't even flinch as the ginormous tree landed a few inches away from her. Instead, she cut the tree in half and began to drag one the part without the branches. It didn't seem to slow her down at all, like the tree weighed as much as a feather. However, Genis recalled the first time they had met her and tried to pull that wood; it weighed at least three-hundred pounds. On the way back to Ozette, something occured to Genis. Half-elf oppression laws were so strongly reinforced in Ozette. There was no way he'd be able to make it through that town without getting arrested, especially with Presea. The townspeople hated her. Little did he know he was about to find out just how much they hated the ax-girl. Presea walked into the town, and it seemed like all talking and motion stopped. Genis hid among the trees, watching.

"She's back," one man whispered frightfully.

"It's that demon girl again," a woman spat.

"You monster!" a boy screamed, and threw a rock at her. It connected with the back of her head, and Presea stopped for a moment. The boy hid behind his mother in fear, but Presea just kept walking. That boy it seemed was just a small example of what was to come.

"You're not normal! How do you possess so much strength?!"

"Get away from us!"

"Spawn of the Devil Himself!"

"Use that axe for something useful and go away for good!"

Rocks, food, and even dishes were thrown at her. Genis stood back, clenching his fists as he watched Presea soldier on. Finally, the rocks got bigger and the food heavier and the dishes sharper that he could no longer sit back. Gashes formed on her forehead from all the broken shards of dishes that were thrown at her. Nasty, purple bruises blossomed on her arms and different fruit fragments stained her hair and clothes.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? IT'S NOT HER FAULT SHE'S THIS WAY!" Genis screamed, jumping out of the forest's protective shadows. The throwing and screams ceased at once, but murmurs could be heard.

"That's...a half elf..."

"Of course he's defending her, filthy being."

One woman had the audacity to come up to him directly.

"Your kind is not welcome in Ozette," she told him sternly, eyes piercing. "Your kind is not welcome in this world!" She raised a hand to hit him and Genis cringed back, knowing what that meant from many "lessons" with Raine. As the woman's hand came down to hit him he closed his eyes, waiting for the sting. However, it didn't come. He opened his eyes to see Presea standing in front of him, holding the woman's hand there. What he didn't expect to see was the woman's other hand come up and slap Presea, the force causing the ax-girl's head to snap to a side. Presea let the woman go, picked up the wood, and continued on, bloodied, bruised, and abused. The people began to throw things again, and Genis put up a protective force field around them both.

"You all are sick! It's not even her fault she's this way, you're abusing a twelve year old girl who just cares about her family! This is why I hate humans!" Genis yelled. This only angered the people.

"She's not twelve! I watched this demon stay the same while we all aged!" a man yelled back.

Genis' mana was draining and he became increasingly tired as the force field ate it all up. Finally, he could not hold it up any longer. Staggering from mana deprivation, he couldn't even watch as Presea was injured. He himself received many cleverly throw rocks. Finally, they made it into the clearing that Presea's house sat in.

"Presea! Presea, are you alright?!" he yelled at her, grabbing both of her shoulders and forcing her to look him in the eye. Her own eyes were no longer just empty and clouded, but now defeated.

"Physical damage detected. Blood loss of 48%," she recited, speaking the truth. Blood was dripping off her face, down her arms, all over. Her skin was more crimson and purple than the usual ivory. Without warning, Presea's eyes rolled back in her skull and she slumped towards the dirt. Genis stumbled a bit, trying to keep her off the ground but struggling to do so. He dragged her back to her house where he laid her on her bed, allowing her to rest. For once he was relieved she couldn't feel anything. Genis was tired and in pain, but he willed his eyes to stay open as he got warm cloths and bandages. The half elf attempted to wipe up the blood but it kept flowing. Instead, he bandaged as many wounds as he could and left her to rest. Genis started to turn back to wash the blood off himself, but as his mana drainage and exhaustion caught up to him, he collapsed right on the floor. The world really is a twisted and cruel place.

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When Genis finally woke up, the soft rays of sunlight drifting in suggested it was morning. Presea, however, had not woken up. While Genis only had a few cuts and bruises, she had serious injuries. From all the rocks she took to the head she might have suffered brain damage. _How can people be this sick? This hateful? Without any regard for possibly killing her, _he wondered angrily. Genis had never wished so dearly he knew healing magic. All of her bandages were a deep crimson color, and her clothes were stiff and stained from the blood and food. The little bit of skin that was miraculously left clean was a pasty white color. _How much blood has she lost_? he wondered, paling at the thought. She could be dying right now and he didn't even know it. Genis didn't want to make her move until she woke, but he had to try and clean her up a little bit. An idea occurred to him. Summoning some water, he swirled it around and manipulated it to wash her dress and remove all the blood and food from her skin. He cringed as shards of dishes began to come out of her cuts. This worked pretty well, except for two things. One: she was now soaking wet. Two: the rough removal of dish shards and rock fragments from her wounds had caused them to begin bleeding again. _I'm no good at this... _he thought, exasperated. Quickly using some wind magic to dry her, he bandaged the injuries again and left her to sleep. _Presea...you'll be okay..._

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**I'm very excited for what's to come in this story, don't worry it gets less depressing :) Once you hit rock bottom you can only go up from there, right? I've always felt bad for Presea; everyone hates her, and it never seemed fair to me. So yeah, I won't keep ya. Leave a review on the way out and I will continue to update! Bye!**

**BE**


	27. Chapter 27: Same Girl, Different Memory

**I am so sad! This is the last chapter that I can just update...now you all have to wait on me to write the chapters. D: BLAH! Sad day indeed. But it's alright! I will try my best to keep the chapters good. Disclaimer and onto story!**

**Namco owns ToS. All there is to it.**

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Genis sat on the rough wood floor while leaning his back against the wall. His head pounded and his skin stung, but he ignored it. All he was focused on was the pink-haired girl lying on the bed, ever so still. _Where are Raine and the others? _he wondered desperately. Like he had been doing for the past hour every five minutes, Genis got up and held her limp hand, checking her pulse. Was it just him or was it getting weaker every time? Almost the whole day had gone by, what could be taking the rest of them so long? Genis sighed and held Presea's hand, trying to warm up the icy skin.

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Presea's POV:

When you care about someone, it can be dangerous. You become self sacrificing, willing, and, most of all, idiotic. You become blind to too much, as I did to how much I could hurt him. That's why I had to do this. Even though the cruxis crystal's poison was torture, I would do it for him. It's like a numb, restraining jail, trapping you inside, unable to feel anything. Time slips away, and even though they didn't think I knew about this part, I did.

You're waiting to die.

I guess it was alright though, dying to save the ones I loved most. My father, my sister, and Genis. I'm sort of vaguely aware of everything that happens, but I can't do anything. As I have said before, it's a numb sort of feeling, and you're just...caged. As I walked through Ozette, I saw them throw the rocks and plates and food. Granted it was hazy, but I saw it, I just couldn't feel it. With every thing they threw I felt like I was drowning further. It still stung that my hometown hated me when they had once been like one large family. The darkness had been closing in around me; it was taking a lot of effort to keep just the little awareness I had. I started to let go, but a voice pulled me out of it.

Genis.

He pulled me out of the water I was sinking further into. Still, I wanted to scream at him. Genis, run. Don't let them punish you like they punish me. Don't let them break you down as well. However, my half elf didn't run. He stayed with me. When that woman went to slap him, I broke free of my chains momentarily, the first time ever. Even if it was for a moment, I was ecstatic. She may of slapped me instead, but I couldn't feel. It did not matter. Now it was Genis and I, trying to escape. Trying to get out of the pulsing rapids that we were drowning in. Trying to hold on past the hatred we were exposed to.

We finally found the shore at my house. However, my body was done. I saw the blood poring down my arms and dress. I didn't want to be done though. I wanted to be able to talk to Genis one last time. However, fate doesn't care about what you want. It's cruel like that. So, Genis, if this is the last time I get to see you...just know that this newfound love you've given to me will always belong to you. I'll always love you, Genis, until the end of time.

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Presea's stoic features showed no sign of any pain whatsoever. That's what scared him. Finally, the awaited faint whirling of rheiards came into earshot. Genis sprang from the ground, throwing open the creaky door and sprinting down the wooden porch steps. Sure enough, the rest of the World Regeneration group were landing gracefully on the grass, excluding Zelos.

"You're back!" Genis hollered, smiling in relief. "What took you all so long?"

Lloyd grinned before pulling something out of his bag. It was a beautiful work of craftsmanship, showing intricacy and skill. It was made out of a rich gold metal with a single stalk dropping down. The stalk had many pieces branching out, shorter at the top and longer at the bottom. The branches weren't really straight, they had more of a delicate curve. When the half elf looked closer, he could even see tiny little carvings of intricate patterns in the metal. Towards the bottom, there was a circular hole...about the size of Presea's crystal. Genis' eyes widened it shock.

"No way...is this the key crest?" he asked in disbelief. Lloyd only grinned wider.

"Yep! Think she'll like it?" the red clad swordsman questioned. Genis smiled back at him. The new key crest was more beautiful than the last, not to mention it would bring her back to normal. He would get to see her again, the real her.

"Yeah! It's amazing Lloyd, thank you!" Genis cried, looking up at his best friend who scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Well, I figured since she'd be wearing it a while it might as well look nice...here, take it. Where is she anyway?" Lloyd probed while handing Genis the delicate metal, who in turn held the key crest to his chest. A dark expression crossed his face.

"That's what I need to talk to you guys about. Raine...I need your help. Presea...might be dying."

A collective gasp was drawn from the group before questions were fired out.

"What the heck happened?" Sheena demanded.

"The people of Ozette are monsters," Genis replied simply, his voice taking an icy edge. "I never knew they hated her so much..." Genis looked away, blinking back tears. Raine placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Genis, tell us what happened so we can help her," the healer instructed calmly.

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A few minutes later everyone was staring at the battered girl in the bed. If anything, she looked worse.

"Oh Martel...who could have imagined...something so terrible?" Colette cried. Genis could see it in Raine's eyes; she was scared.

"I-I'll go...do an inspection," the older sibling managed. Raine was screaming internally. Never had she seen anything so grotesque. Skin that used to be a flawless ivory was now purple, black, and crimson. Once delicate features were swollen and deformed. She didn't even want to think of what it looked like before Genis had cleaned her up.

"Raine..." Genis called softly, anxiety clear in his voice. Raine cleared her throat and turned around, her eyes misty.

"Well...sh-she is pretty seriously hurt...I think she has a concussion. I would be able to heal her, but it'll be difficult to channel the mana correctly without her having a key crest. Do you think we could put it on her now?" Raine asked, covering up her emotions by the second. Lloyd shrugged.

"Yeah, it should be okay. I mean, she might not wake up right away but once you heal her she might," Lloyd explained. Genis was still holding the key crest to his heart. They could save her. Now. He didn't have to wait. Slowly Genis approached, kneeling down to be eye-level with her. He pressed the key crest on, hearing the soft click as it was put in place. All of a sudden, the two branches near the top expanded, going behind her neck and crossing across her back to connect back at the front near base of her neck, forming a little gold choker. Genis jumped back in fright, looking at Lloyd.

"Th-that was s-supposed to h-happen, r-right?" he stuttered, shaken.

"Yeah, sorry, should have warned you," Lloyd apologized. Everyone watched, waiting for what happened next.

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It hit Presea hard. The most excruciating pain she had ever experienced in her whole life ripped through her body. Her body felt like it was on fire and her head throbbed intensely against her skull. She couldn't help it. She screamed. She screamed louder than she ever had in her entire life. She would take the incident in Flanoir with her cruxis crystal one thousand times over this. She would take it and be grateful. This was pure, burning Hell. Her body cried out with her, sending so many signals of injury she couldn't even comprehend what hurt and what didn't. _Martel, please kill me and end this! _she pleaded. Presea wanted to die. Then the fire would be gone. She couldn't, though. Presea at least wanted to open her eyes, but the pain was too much. She convulsed, shrieking. It had to stop soon.

Finally, the pain slowly started to subside. It felt like years before it even got down to half of what she felt in Flanoir. Her whole being was dying. Presea could feel her heart struggling. With every passing minute, however, her heartbeat got a little stronger. Not strong enough, though. She couldn't keep a grip on consciousness. One last, final cry, and she passed out.

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"PRESEA!" Genis shouted as Presea started screaming. Raine shoved him away and began concentrating, holding her wooden staff overtop of the pink-haired girl.

"She can probably feel the pain of her wounds now," Regal explained.

"Everyone, leave. I can tell what has happened, and I need total concentration. She's dying," Raine informed them. Sheena ushered everyone out, and Genis followed lifelessly. Hour by hour ticked by, with Genis worrying outside and Raine healing inside. She had their entire reserve of orange and pineapple gels to keep her full of energy. Through the door you could faintly hear Presea's screaming, but after five hours it cut off. Genis' blood went cold and he turned towards the door, preparing to go back inside.

"Where are you going?" Zelos demanded, coming up from behind.

"I need to know if she's okay," Genis told the red-haired chosen. Zelos shrugged.

"Fine by me," he replied simply before turning around. Genis placed his hand on the doorknob, preparing to turn it. However, it turned itself an allowed the door to swing open, revealing a very tired looking Raine. Her silver bangs were matted to her forehead with sweat, and the way she leaned on the doorway made it clear that she was spent.

"Is she alive?" Genis badgered. Raine sighed.

"Yes. Barely. Go ahead and see her if you want," the healer offered, opening the door wider. Genis scurried inside, tiptoeing silently across the wooden floorboards. Presea's head was rolled to the side and her arm was dangling off the bed. Genis knelt beside her, noticing the subtle but no doubt extremely helpful differences. Her bruises were more faint and the gashes were no longer as deep; the cuts might not even leave scars at this rate. Her new key crest sparkled majestically around her neck, showcasing the now tamed cruxis crystal.

"Presea..." Genis murmured, savoring the sweet aftertaste of her name rolling off his tongue. To his surprise, Presea blinked a few times and squinted her eyes as if in bright sunlight. She seemed pretty groggy and out of it.

"Are you awake now?" he asked gently. She nodded, and Raine came over to fill her in.

"You had quite a serious concussion, but now it shouldn't be anything more than a slight headache. However, you will be quite sore; your wounds were very severe."

Presea was still squinting as she rolled onto her back and covered her eyes with a forearm.

"Who...who are you people? Why are you in my house?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"It's me, Genis. Don't you remember me?" the half elf probed worriedly. Presea uncovered her face and turned her head to the side to look at him.

"Genis...I'm sorry, but I do not know anyone with that name."

Time stopped for Genis. She didn't remember him? Was it the head damage she had received?

"Raine..." he muttered, his voice growing unsteady. His sister kept her cool and knelt beside the younger sibling.

"Tell me; what's your name? Where do you live? Who and where is your sister?"

Presea seemed to think a moment. "My name is Presea Combatir. I like in Ozette. My sister is Alicia Combatir...and she is dead." The pink-haired girl looked at Raine with eyes full of pain. "How did you know I had a sister?"

"We're your friends, Presea. Please, stay here and rest while we take care of some things," Raine told her calmly. Presea didn't have the strength to argue as her head slumped back to the side.

"Raine! She doesn't remember us, but she remembers everything else. What is this?" Genis asked frantically after rising. Raine held her chin, pondering.

"She remembers everything about her family, I just don't think she remembers us or the journey she's on. It's quite possible the key crest is affecting her," the professor said. Genis clenched a fist.

"Well, what do we do?

Raine remained silent. Instead she walked outside with her brother in tow, facing the rest of the group.

"How's Presea?" Lloyd questioned, not prepared at all for the answer that brought.

"She doesn't remember us."

Everyone gasped.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Colette asked, blue eyes wide.

"She woke up and didn't know who we were, but she remembered who she was, where she lived, her sister and that her sister was dead," Raine explained. "My guess is the key crest is affecting her memory slightly." Lloyd scratched the back of his head.

"That's definitely plausible. With the kind of crystal she has any key crest is bound to have trouble, we were very lucky the first time," Lloyd told her.

"How do you all plan on getting her back to normal though?" Sheena called out. Her voice only met silence.

"I'll think about it to tonight. It's late, we should all go to sleep. Lets camp outside right here; we can figure it all out in the morning," Raine suggested. Everyone complied and began to set up their tents.

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Once everyone was inside their tents and sleeping, Genis slipped out and into Presea's house. She was still lying on the bed, dozing. It was to be expected, her body needed to recover. Leaning next to her ear, he whispered to her.

"I know you don't remember me. I'm Genis Sage, your friend. I'm the one that fell head-over-heels in love with you. I'm the one that was trying to protect you. I'm the one who you loved as well. I'm the one who has missed you badly ever since Sybak. I'm the one that just wants the girl he loves back."

After finishing, Genis stood up and walked away.

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Presea blinked a few times. She felt like someone had been talking to her. Today had been quite frightening; she had woken up and found two people she didn't know next to her. The boy (Genis, was it?) stood out in her mind particularly. He seemed like he genuinely cared about her. Presea had felt horrible when she had told them she didn't know who they were. He seemed crushed. At first she had believed them to be angels with their beautiful silver hair and pleasant faces. Once they had called her their friend...her head began to pound worse, she couldn't comprehend all this. She remembered that her father and sister were dead; she didn't remember who told her. Who were these mysterious people? Thinking about it now wouldn't do any good. Presea finally decided to rest and wait until morning to find the answers.

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**I honestly LOVE this chapter, it was fun to write! What do you think of everything going on? I like hearing your opinions ^-^ Remember, it will take more time for me to publish chapters now as I actually have to WRITE, but I'll try my best. Thanks so much for reading,**

**BE**


	28. Chapter 28: Whispering Memories

**Yuck! I was gone for so long, sorry guys! I wrote this whole chapter and it got deleted and I had to start over, shortening it. -.- it wasn't cool. Anyways, it's here now, not as long as I'd have liked, but it's here. Hope you all enjoy, thanks for sticking with my story! I must reply to the wonderful reviews first, though :)**

**diety: Here's my update for ya. Thanks for sticking with it :)**

**AnriMia24: EEP! *hides under bed with flashlight* Tell Genis to calm down! I don't want to get fried anytime soon! *cough* um, now on to the actual review XD Thank you for your patience, it makes me so happy to see you return faithfully chapter after chapter ^-^ it means a lot!**

**Disclaimer: ToS, the magical amazing video game of eternal awesomeness, sadly belongs to Namco, not me. *sigh***

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Presea sat up, clutching the sheets to her chest. Her crystalline eyes darted around the room, seeing if she was alone or not. A delicious smell wafted in through the doorway, making her mouth water. She was so hungry, not to mention sore. Presea closed her eyes and savored the scent. All of a sudden, her eyes snapped open as she came to a realization. _Who...is in my house?_ she thought worriedly. Presea's mind slowly began to wake up and process. Perhaps those people from last night are still here? Placing her bare feet on the hardwood, she attempted to stand. For a few moments, the world spun. Then, as she righted herself, the mouth-watering scent hit her full force. Scrambling out to the kitchen doorway, she poked her head out. A silver-haired boy about her age was cooking something. Presea stared at his back, wondering what he was still doing here.

"Are you awake?" he asked without turning around, laughter coloring his voice as she darted back around the corner. Presea pressed her back to the door frame that hid her from view.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. Also, I figured you'd be hungry, so I made you some breakfast." Sheepishly, Presea came out from hiding. Her hands were entwined behind her back and had her toes facing inwards. Something about her posture and the way she wouldn't meet his eyes made her look so vulnerable.

"Listen, I have to explain something to you. Sit down and eat while I tell you," Genis told her, smiling warmly. Something about this boy just made her feel comfortable. Presea sat down in a chair and took a bite of the eggs. They were delicious, just the way she liked them. How did he know...?

"I know you don't exactly believe our story, but it's true. In fact, everyone else who we were traveling with is outside and want to see you, would you mind...meeting them? So they can tell you're okay?" Genis asked tentatively. Presea swallowed her bite, thinking a little.

"I suppose," she finally agreed. The silver-haired boy seemed to relax a little, watching her as she ate. Strangely enough, it didn't make her feel uncomfortable. What was wrong with her?

When she was finished, they got up and Genis escorted her outside and into the fresh air. They descended the porch steps and seven pairs of eyes trained on her.

"Presea! How are you? Are you feeling better?" a blonde-haired girl asked, smiling. Presea felt rude not returning the gesture, but how could she? Instead, she simply nodded. Everyone was staring at her in confusion, like they expected something from her.

"Do you remember anything at all?" a brown-haired boy clothed in red probed. This time, she shook her head. All of the people outside scattered across her front lawn started to come closer, staring into her face as if trying to look inside her head. Presea's heartbeat sped up as the strangers approached her. She backed up a bit, feeling a porch step press against her calf. The grass underneath her bare feet no longer calmed her, all she wanted was to feel the sturdy wood of her home now. The continued to pull closer until they were only a few feet away. Presea couldn't take it anymore.

"Stay back!" she screamed, trying to scramble up the steps. She slipped and fell hard on her bottom, but it hardly fazed her. Using her arms, she pushed herself off the ground and ran inside of her home, leaning against the closed front door. Tears ran down her face from fright and confusion. A single shout of "Presea!" could be heard through the door.

_I'm sorry_, she thought. Much to her dismay, she couldn't say those words out loud. Presea pressed her lips together, trying to hold back sobs. Unfortunately, what came out of that was pathetic whimpering. Unable to hold herself together any longer, she pulled her knees to her chest and cried, all of her energy leaving in the form of crystalline droplets. Finally, with nothing left, she collapsed, asleep.

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Genis ran his fingers through his hair, the last few minutes playng through his head. Presea Combatir...terrified? That didn't make sense. He was also frustrated with himself; what had ever made him think bringing her to meet a bunch of strangers would end well? The half elf sighed, wishing for the first time his hearing wasn't so good. Genis could clearly hear her crying. He swore softly, clenching a fist.

As night fell, everyone went to the inn. Well, everyone but Genis, that is. Instead, he chose to go apologize to her. Raising a hesitant hand, he rapped softly on her door. The wooden door creaked open slightly and Presea peeked her head out, her eyes widening.

"G-Genis," she stammered, obviously surprised to see him here. Genis managed a weak smile.

"Hey, um, would it be alright if we talked? I'm sorry about earlier," he said. Presea stared at him for a moment, as if figuring out what to do. Finally, she blinked and invited him in.

Genis sat opposite to her at a table sipping tea, but his mind was hardly on that. Instead, he took in her appearance. Goddess Martel she was a wreck. Her hair was out of the normal pigtails and fell around her shoulders in a tangled mess. Dark bags were prominently shown underneath her slightly reddened eyes. Smashing his thoughts, he decided to ask what he had sincerely been wondering.

"How are you?"

Presea seemly slightly taken aback by his answer; she obviously wasn't prepared to be asked such a caring question, especially when he said it with genuine concern in his eyes.

"I'm...confused," she answered honestly. "I've been thinking..." She paused to see if he would allow her to continue. Genis leaned forward slightly.

"You all brought me back to myself, and tended to my wounds. You even stayed by my house to make sure I was okay. I'm certain you don't do that for just anyone. However...I don't know. It could still be a stunt, as horrible as it sounds. If you were really close to me...how much do you know?" Presea watched him warily as a small smile appeared on Genis' face. Where did he even start?

"Alright. For starters, your first axe was the Francesca. You inherited it from you father." Presea's expression went from suspicion to shock, eyes widening. "You physically aren't able to sleep on your back. You think dresses offer more mobility than pants, and prefer to wear them above all else. You hate people who lie, and have a short fuse for those who judge quickly." Genis smirked knowingly. "You are strong and carry on through pain for the sake of others. Also...I know Cruixis recruited you when you were twelve. How many years passed in between, I don't know. You never said, and I never wanted to know until you were ready," he finished, looking straight at her. Presea's feelings were unreadable. She sat completely still, processing the information thrown at her with a blank face. Presea's arms were crossed over her chest and her crystalline blue eyes, also know as the windows to her soul, were full of astonishment and confusion. Her stance made her look like a matured person calculating their next move. That was until she tried to speak.

"W-what...how did...how do...?" she stammered, unable to finish. All of a sudden, her electric blue gaze went unfocused. Her arms that were crossed over her chest went limp and fell at her sides. Her face held no trace of emotion. Genis was chilled to the bone. Presea was looking at him, but she couldn't see him. A shiver wracked her petite form.

"Presea!" Genis cried rather forcefully, trying to pull her out of the trance. Finally, she blinked a few times, emotions flooding into her eyes. This time there was fright and worry. Presea shook her head, attempting to clear it.

"Forgive me, I don't know what that was." She didn't want to meet his eyes.

"Presea, look at me. Are you okay?" Genis demanded. She looked up at him, pain evident on her face. All of a sudden, a jolt of agony shot through his old wound in his side. The one Presea had inflicted in what seemed ages ago. He winced, grabbing at it like it would stop the pain.

"Genis?!" Presea called, looking panicked. She ran over, but Genis' eyes were squeezed shut from pain and he wouldn't even look at her. "Genis, what's wrong?!" she asked frantically. Presea noticed his hands holding tightly to his side. Gently, she grabbed his shaky hands and moved them aside. Genis' labored breathing could still be heard. All shyness was forgotten over his safety. _When did I get so protective over him?_ she wondered. Lifting up the fold of his shirt, she saw a jagged scar running along his waist. Running her fingers along it lightly, she wondered what horrible person did that to him. Her touch as like the greatest medicine of all to him, dulling the pain instantly. Old wounds were tricky; they flared up at any moment. As Presea lowered his shirt, but the image of the scar shone bright in her mind. The sensation overcame her again, that head-splitting ache and sense of familiarity but strangeness at the same time. She stumbled back, unable to see anything as everything slid out of focus for a few moments. A labored yell pulled her out of it. Presea blinked, her vision refocusing. Genis was still holding his side, but he was looking at her with concern.

"Presea...are you alright?" he asked. She thought for a moment, trying to reorganize her scattered mind.

Finally, she answered, "N-no...I'm not. I am really sorry...but let's continue this tomorrow. I don't feel well."

Genis agreed; she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Okay." The pain was still there but it was dull, and he could manage. "Good night, Presea." The pink-haired girl was still leaning on the table, staring at the ground with her eyebrows scrunched together. He didn't know if she even heard him. As Genis placed his hand on the door handle, a very, very soft voice floated to his ears.

"Good night, Genis." If he didn't have elven hearing, he would have missed it. Smiling with closed lips, he led himself out and to the inn.

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**Now, after going through the frustration of writing this chapter TWICE, reviews are oh-so-appreciated. They make writing it worth it. Pretty please? *puppy eyes* Also, got a question? Analogy? Or simply want to talk? PM me, I'd love to talk to you! :) Thanks for reading, I really appreciate you sticking with me!**

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	29. Chapter 29: Understanding

**I'm so sorry for the wait! All my chapters are slow lately, I know. I'm starting a new fic soon and this has been the worst month of my life. I won't keep you from reading, I'm very excited for this chapter. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Well, I hate to break it to myself, but I don't own ToS. Namco does.**

**Special thanks to diety and AnriMia24 for reviews 3**

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Presea's head pounded, and she gripped it with her hands. A small part of her felt bad for shoving Genis out, but right now she just needed to get the earthquake out of her head. It hurt so bad; she could hear the pulsing of her head throbbing in her ears. She stumbled through the rooms, knocking lamps and things over as she walked around blindly. Everything was blurry; she couldn't see a thing. After knocking over multiple items and smacking into a few walls, she finally collapsed on her bed. Thoughts ran through her mind annoyingly. _I need to take off my belt...and untie my hair...and...and..._

However, Presea was too tired to do any of it. With every throb of her head she grew more and more fatigued. Finally, Presea's eyelids flutered shut, and she drifted off to sleep. Unfortunately for Presea, it wasn't the peaceful sort of sleep she had wanted.

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_Images flashed through her mind without sound. The image of the scar she had seen on Genis' side earlier flashed in her mind. A vision came of him pleading, shouting, but without sound. She couldn't hear what he was saying. Then, without control over her own body, she swung her axe at him, creating a gash right where his scar was. _I didn't do that...did I? _Presea wondered desperately. _No, I would never do that!_ Next, all she saw was blackness. Then came the sound of voices._

_"I love you, Presea," one said. It sounded like...Genis._

_"I love you too," said another voice, but that voice...it was hers. Cold fear churned in her gut as she fought the impulse to retch. She didn't understand anything going on. The blackness enveloped her, holding her in its dark embrace as the voices swirled around her._

_"Presea..." a voice whispered tenderly, it's mellifluous sound caressing her ears._

_"Presea," it murmured again, sounding more like a way to get her attention this time. Presea didn't know what to do or how to react. The blackness held her tight as she was forced to stand, listen, and figure out whose voice that was._

_"Presea," the voice kept saying, the noise eventually blending into a mass of voices. It got worse than murmuring from there._

_"Presea!" they began to shout, calling her with a desperateness that tore at her heart. A hundred voices, all melded together into a single, heart-wrenching and bone-chilling chorus. It was driving Presea insane, literally._

_"STOP IT!" she screamed, begging with her very essence. She clamped her hands over her ears, but the voices were worse. Now it was a mixture of tender whispers, casual calls, and desperate screams. Presea was shaking, and tears began to roll down her cheeks._

_"I-I can't take this...please stop!" she pleaded pathetically. They got louder and louder, as if they were inside her mind and the volume was slowly being turned up._

_"PLEASE!" Presea cried, screaming at the top of her lungs in gut-wrenching agony._

Presea bolted upwards in the small bed, her heart hammering loudly against her ribcage. She greedily gulped the air, her chest heaving up and down in time with the ragged breathing. Presea wiped the back of her hand along her clammy forehead; it didn't surprise her both were covered in a heavy sheen of sweat. Presea pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to calm down and think. So much bounced around her mind that she felt she would throw up. However, Presea took a somewhat steady breath and thought about the voice. After a moment, realization sparked through her like the charge of a lightning bolt. Of course. The voices...they were...Genis. Who was that boy, and why did he seem to have such an importance? Presea admittedly was intrigued by him and was touched by his kindness, but still...there was more to him than that, and Presea wanted to know what. At the same time though...the vision of her digging her axe into his side sent horrible shudders through her already trembling body. Presea knew she was a monster; she couldn't forget that. No amount of her own curiosity would allow her to hurt someone, especially Genis. Presea clutched her head in frustration. To clear her mind, Presea brought out a block of wood to carve. Carving was a longtime hobby of hers; it helped her to think. So, allowing her subconscious to control the design, she dug her knife in and began to work.

As sunlight drifted in through the windows, Presea stared in horror at the carving she had made. It was herself, sleeping. Except it wasn't a normal kind of sleeping. The figurine Presea was lying on her side, knees pulled up to her chest and hands wrapped protectively around her shoulders, curled up into a tiny ball. Her hair draped over her shoulders and back, providing a blanket. The most frightening part, however, was her expression. It was broken, afraid, lost, and longing. Like she wanted to wake up desperately, but couldn't. It brought meaning to her position, like she was fighting a freezing cold overtaking her.

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Genis knocked on Presea's door, coming to check on her since last night. When the door swung open, it revealed Presea to be looking more distressed than before. Dark bags hung underneath her dull and lifeless blue eyes.

"Presea...what's wrong?" Genis asked upon entering. Presea stared at her shoes, unable to look him in the eyes.

"You need to stay away from me," she told him quietly, forcing the words out. Genis' eyes widened and he took a step back in surprise.

"W-what? Why?" he asked, absolutely shocked. Something was not only bothering her, but destroying her from the inside.

"I-I'm...not the kind of person you want to be associated with. You don't know who I am, deep inside. You don't know the monster that is me. I'm...no good. It would be in your best interests to stay away," Presea explained, bitterness biting her words.

"I know that's not true. You aren't a-"

"Genis." Presea lifted her head to stare into his cerulean eyes, her own flashing dangerously. "If you knew the real me, you wouldn't say that. They hurt me in ways people pray don't exist. They stole everything away from me: my childhood, my emotions, my family. I could kill a person without flinching. If that isn't a monster to you, then tell me what is." Presea's eyes shone with rage and pain. Her hands were clenched into fists at her side.

"You wouldn't hurt a soul," Genis replied defiantly. Presea set her mouth into a thin line, the muscles in her arms contracting as she squeezed her fists tighter.

"I could hurt you, Genis. Badly," she retorted, angered by his carefree belief she wasn't dangerous. "You don't understand. I'm not normal."

Genis looked into the very depths of her electric blue eyes, watching the blazing fury dim slightly as he stared with a look of pure compassion. "I trust you not to hurt me. The Presea I know wouldn't do that."

Presea gritted her teeth. "Maybe she's gone." With that, she pulled her dagger from her belt, closing the distance between them in a few short strides. The knife glinted evilly in the light as she raised it above her head, preparing to bring it back down.

Genis watched her calmly, not daring to move his gaze from hers. He knew past her hardened exterior, she was a truly kind person underneath. However, was the Presea he knew really gone?

Presea's grip on the knife tightened until her knuckles turned white. With her mouth set in a firm line, she prepared again to strike. Genis closed his eyes. A yell of fury erupted from Presea, and Genis waited for the pain to come.

Instead, a hollow, metallic clattering sound rang throughout the room. As he peeked open his eyes, he saw the dagger laying on the floor and Presea sobbing into her hands. She was broken beyond belief. Genis sighed, knowing that she was letting loose all of her pain. Even though she had known it for a while, Genis knew she still felt the loss of her family strongly and it drove her to act differently.

"Presea...I'm sorry about everything that has happened to you. I understand how horrible you must feel, but-"

"How the hell would you know how it feels to lose everyone you ever loved?" she spat. Genis stared. She had never once cursed in their entire journey. Presea put her face in her hand. "I willingly gave up everything for my family, and now they're gone. No one can understand, that's why I shut people out..." She pulled her hand away to wipe the droplets off her cheeks. Genis didn't even know what to say. He had never known...

They stood without speaking, silence except for the sound of Presea's sobbing. She had her face in her hands, unable to hold herself together. Instead of saying something, Genis held his breath and hugged her. She gasped, shocked by the sudden gesture of kindness. However, she didn't push away. Presea leaned on him, her legs almost buckling in.

"I'm sorry. I can't understand how you feel, but I try and make you happy," Genis murmured. She just continued to cry, letting all her anger and distress flow out of her in the form of tiny crystal droplets.

Finally, Presea pulled away. She sniffled a little, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry about that...it's been a very difficult...time for me," she explained, thinking before saying each phrase. Then, a very small, almost microscopic smile stretched onto her lips. "But thank you, Genis." Presea reached into the small pack attached to her belt and pulled out a tiny figurine. It was a miniature Presea, sleeping.

"I didn't understand at first," she began, "but I understand now. That's your Presea. The one with all the memories, tucked away deep within my consciousness. She's asleep, not knowing how to wake up. I'm sorry Genis...but I'm not her. I don't know you, and I'm afraid...that you must continue your journey without me." Horror flashed across Genis' face.

"What?! No, please, wait until tonight. Then you can decide," he said in a rush, obviously appalled at the idea of leaving her behind. Presea cracked a small smile.

"You are kind, Genis. I can see why we might have been friends." Her lips spread into a full closed-mouth smile. "By the way...thank you for having faith in me. I can't imagine how horrible it must've been to have a friend hold a dagger above your head...I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me." She turned her gaze downcast as a small blush adorned her cheeks. "I really appreciate you caring." Genis grinned.

"Don't mention it," he replied. Presea looked at her shoes for a second in mild embarrassment, but then rushed forward at lightning speed, wrapping her arms around him. Genis' eyes widened in shock, momentarily paralyzed.

"I mean it. I can never thank you enough nor apologize enough times. Though my head tells me we've just met, my heart tells me I know you very well. I hope you'll excuse my actions, but...being this close to you, feeling your warmth, I feel safe, calm, and content. All my worries, fears, and sadness just dissolves. I don't know how or why, but I do know is I need be close to you a little longer. However, this...instinct to be around you just makes this next part harder to say, and even harder to do, but...unless your Presea wakes up, I can't go with you." Presea tightened her arms around his chest slightly, resting her head on his shoulder. Genis didn't complain, finally unfreezing himself and calming his fiery blush. He brought his own arms up to stroke her back ever so slightly in a manner of friendly comfort.

"I don't mind, Presea, and I know" he murmured. "As long as you're happy, I'll be okay." They stood like that for a while, just taking in the comfort of a warm embrace. Genis' hand wandered upwards until it touched the bit of her key crest that ran over Presea's shoulders and twined on her back to return back to her neck. It was then he noticed it: the tiny, hairline cracks between the key crest and the clothing. Realization sparked through him as he fought the urge to face palm himself. They had completely forgotten about that design flaw. A key crest, like an exsphere, is attached directly to the skin. An exsphere resides in the skin, while a key crest is on the surface. However, the key crest must directly touch the skin and, since the dress fabric was in the way, it had been cut apart by the key crest in its attempt to make contact with skin. He laughed internally at how ridiculous he sounded, thinking about an outfit. Even so, he mentally noted that they would have to go get her a new outfit that suited the key crest better. Reluctantly, he pulled back, holding her shoulders at arm's length. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were slightly puffy from crying, but other than that she looked alright. There were still little things, like the way her shoulders were sagging underneath his hands and how her eyes were not as bright as they once were that hinted she wasn't completely over the incident yet, but she was recovering quickly.

"Don't be sorry for the way you feel, and never be afraid to express it either. Feelings and emotions, they are what make us people. Whether a human, elf, or half elf, feelings mean a lot. Don't say you can't feel. You just proved to me you can and do," Genis told her seriously, staring directly into her eyes. Presea bowed her head slightly, breaking the eye contact and causing a few pink strands to slip over her shoulders and dangle.

"Genis...if you say not to be afraid of expressing feelings...tell me what yours are," she requested quietly, her voice barely audible. Genis was rather taken aback by this, and his hands slipped from her shoulders.

"I-I-" he began, unable to gather his thoughts. Genis shakily ran his hand through his hair, thinking frantically on how to answer. However, he realized he should take his own advice. Presea deserved to know, even if it changed the way she would think about him.

"I-I...I'm...in love with you," he confessed, his heart hammering loudly in his ribcage. Sweat slicked his palms, and he wiped them on his shorts indiscreetly. Presea's head upturned to look at him, unreadable emotions on her face. Genis squeezed his azure eyes shut, not wanting to see how she would react. It wasn't embarrassing as much as it was ridiculous. Presea would never believe that, she'll probably start laughing soon, she'll-

All his thoughts ceased as the lightest sensation of something brushing his cheek came. He was about to open his eyes until her voice stopped him.

"Don't open your eyes until I tell you. There's something I need to do."

Genis proceeded to keep his eyes closed. Then, it felt like fireworks had exploded within his chest as the unmistakeable feeling of her lips brushing his came into being. It was a whisper of a kiss though, as she had barely touched him. Despite the initial hesitance, Presea came back, melding her lips against his this time. Genis couldn't think, he could only feel as he kissed her back. It felt like sparks were jumping between their lips, shooting through Genis' body in the most wonderful sensation. Presea pulled away, and it was beginning to get more difficult to follow her instructions of keeping his eyes shut. He felt her fingers move the hair away from his ear, tracing the pointed ridge with a tenderness that was ever so gentle. Wait...he hadn't told Presea he was a half elf since she lost her memory. Then how...?

Her lips brushed his ear as she spoke the long awaited words.

"I'm awake, Genis."

Presea laughed lightly before saying, "You can open your eyes now." As he did so, he could see the mixture of emotions flitting inside her lapis orbs. Ecstasy, gratitude, love, and a reignited spark he hadn't seen since they were in Mizuho splashing water at each other. It was unmistakably Presea. Genis stood in astonishment, unable to move, blink, or even form a single thought. Instead, his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. Presea chuckled slightly, a single breath with a hint of a laugh. She brought her hand up to his cheek, using her thumb to caress the tender flesh as she tilted her head and smiled. That smile...wow. It was like the sun hadn't been shining this whole time, and all of a sudden there it was. Presea's gentle hand on his cheek was leaving tingles, like she sparked life wherever her fingers touched. Genis wasn't sure if his jaw would work properly after feeling like this.

"I-I-I...m-missed-" he started, forcing his mouth to move and form words. Upon seeing his struggle, Presea placed a single finger on his lips.

"You don't have to talk." She smiled again. "Besides, I believe there is much I have to say. I'm...sorry. I must've caused a lot of trouble for you all." Presea's face fell in shame, her eyes glittering with regret and guilt. Genis was about to say something, but she help up her free hand in a gesture for him to stay quiet, the other still resting on his cheek. "I remember everything everyone did for me, especially you, Genis." Presea's eyes lit up again with gratitude. "You stayed right by my side, and that's something that simply is not taken advantage of. You need to know how much I really appreciated it, though I do not think words can express. However, Genis..." Her electric blue eyes sparkled with delight. "I missed you too. And even though my feelings may be a taboo here, and that what I feel is wrong and disgraceful, it's the undeniable truth, and I stopped running from it ages ago." Presea leaned her forehead on his as she turned her gaze downwards. He could feel her eupneic breath on his lips as he resisted the urge to shudder, focusing on her lowered lids.

"I love you," she whispered, each word washing her sweet breath onto his mouth. Genis knew he wasn't supposed to respond with words. Presea's eyes were already closed and her lips were parted in anticipation, silently telling him what she wanted. Genis granted her request quickly, wanting, needing to kiss her. Blame his thirteen year old hormones, but he had gone so long without her, all that filled him was a desire to taste her lips and feel her skin. Of course, the second one would be limited due to a plethora of reasons. Though the first...nothing was stopping that. Using as much restraint as possible, Genis brushed his lips against hers very lightly, not as much of a kiss as just contact. Though it was rather difficult, Genis was trying to keep himself under control. Even so, he completely lost it when a small whimper came from Presea. Their lips connected, and the tingles of nervousness turned into explosions of delight. Their kisses were without a trace of lust, just raw emotion. He could feel her fingers run through his hair, but the more prominent feeling was the rest of her pressed up against him. Genis' hands were around her waist, keeping her drawn in tight even though she showed no intention of letting go. Her hands wandered, slender fingers dancing up and down his neck and sending shivers down his spine. Eventually, they could no longer pull in enough through their noses alone. Presea pulled back, but only enough to breathe, nothing more. Her entire form was still pressed against him. Genis stared into her electric blue eyes, watching the sparks of fresh emotion dance around her irises. Her mouth was parted slightly to draw in oxygen, but still set in that signature line: not quite a frown, but not a smile either. Presea's hands that were around his neck slid underneath his arms as she hugged him tightly, her face pressed into his chest. Her petite body started to shake as he felt her tears dampen his shirt. Genis could not quite explain it, but...the way she cried was just...heartbreaking. Each breath she drew was desperate, ragged, and unsteady. After each breath came more tears.

"I'm so sorry..." Presea sobbed, her voice muffled into his shirt.

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**Sooooo? Did you like it? ;) It was very awkward writing the fluff for some reason, I suppose because I wanted to capture every feeling and stuff and it became very vivid. Lately I've had this revelation about romance, that it isn't just about having tragic things happen and kissing. It's about shaping a relationship, getting through hard times, And trying to get in touch with a reader's heart. I do not think I've good a good job so far, but I'm going to try my best to do better. And onto other notes, someday soon I will be posting a drawing of Presea's new key crest and outfit on my deviantart ^-^ Man, it was painful waiting to get real Presea back! Writing about the other two Presea was depressing me. Not tho fear though, Gesea lovers, they are back together! :) Thank you so much for being patient with me and reading this chapter. If you could leave a review on the way out, I would appreciate it so much. I really love reading them! See ya soon,**

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	30. Chapter 30: Scars

**Hey guys! Sorry I was being lazy and didn't upload this chapter for a while. I'm a loser -.-**

**Disclaimer: Me no own ToS. Namco does...they won't give it up. **

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Presea watched, frozen with mortification at the scene in front of her.

"Perhaps a dipping back would make enough room for the key crest? Or better yet, some off the shoulder thing?" Of course, at the mention of a new outfit for Presea, Colette and Sheena had jumped at it. They had begun planning before she had even gotten the statement out. Her bright cobalt eyes scanned their group, making calculations as she went. Her gaze stopped on Genis, who was rolling his eyes. He was probably making a sarcastic comment to Lloyd, judging by the older swordsman's bewildered expression. A pang shot through her chest unexpectedly, causing her to bring her hand to her chest subconsciously. She felt horrible, knowing how much suffering she had put Genis through. Memories flashed through her mind: him feeding her despite her refusal, his perseverance in the face of the Ozette people, him checking on her when she was upset, ect. What had she done in return? Allowed him to be hurt. She didn't deserve to even call him her friend. His head moved in her direction, and she adverted her eyes immediately. Presea, the girl who lost her soul. Presea, the girl who is empty. Presea, the girl who shouldn't be alive.

_I might've been better off dead_, she had once said. A part of her still stood by those words. _However..._ her head turned to face the silverette, _I am needed here._ She would protect him, and earn the right to be with Genis. She had to. The will to earn her place in this world was all she had keeping her alive.

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"H-hi...Presea." Genis' face flushed and he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "H-how are you?"

He seemed to be overly nervous again. That was probably her fault. She couldn't bring herself to carry on a conversation for long without the annoying pang in her chest.

"I am...well," she said flatly, her eyes vacant of emotion. The half elf opened his mouth to say something, but shut it and furrowed his brow as if concentrating on something.

"A-are you sure? B-because...you seem...k-kind of..." Her gaze met his and he blushed deeply. "Never mind."

"Genis," her gaze softened as she spoke. "I am sorry if I seem distant. I just need some time to wrap my mind around the previous predicament." Genis' eyes seemed to spark with life at her actually responding.

"O-okay! Just take your time, P-Presea." With that, he walked off and left her in the woods with just her and her thoughts. Presea set her mouth in a firm line and punched the tree beside her with so much force that her fist was embedded up to her wrist. A stinging sensation started, and it seemed to reside in her knuckles. Ignoring it, she drew her hand back and drove it into the tree yet again. The stinging became a throbbing, and this time she withdrew her hand to observe it. Presea stared numbly at the deep crimson liquid dripping off her hand, her mind barely registering she had not been wearing her gloves. Presea couldn't feel anything but the pain radiating from her hand, but her stoic expression remained indifferent. It was almost like the pain was waking her up, reminding her that she was indeed alive and breathing. So she continued, punching the tree until the tree fell over. By the time she was done, her arms were coated with blood dripping off her hands. Most of the skin on the top of her hands had been scratched off by the rough bark of the tree, leaving her hands burning intensely when the cool night air met it. She still remained calm as ever, and began slowly walking back to the camp. The pitter-patter rhythm of blood dripping onto the soft ground became calming. The moonlight glittered off each droplet, but she wasn't shaken. As Presea saw the campfire in sight, a high-pitched scream pierced the air. Colette.

"What is it Colette?" Presea faintly heard Lloyd's voice. She could barely make out Colette trying to get up and run over, but Lloyd grabbed the angel's shoulders and forced her to tell him what was wrong. Raine looked up from her book and gasped, scanning Presea. She stood calmly before them, allowing them to drink in her state.

"Presea, what happened?" Regal asked, absolutely appalled. She stared dully, her eyes flat and empty. Presea tried to take a step, but the blood loss began to affect her movements. She swayed, but stayed upright.

"Presea, talk to us!" Lloyd pleaded. Her gaze unfocused, and her eyes began to close. She slid down onto her knees, and fell lifelessly onto her face, limp as a rag doll. Her systems shut down, like she was drowning in an ocean of freezing cold water.

_I'm sorry..._

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Presea blinked a few times, her eyes adjusting to the morning sunlight streaking in through the tent. She felt a cool cloth on her forehead and the sound of footsteps nearby. Her groggy mind was still processing why she was lying in this tent when she had no memory of lying down here. Then it hit her. The woods. Anger. Blood. Losing consciousness.

"Are you awake?" a hesitant voice asked. Presea continued to lie on her back, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts processed.

"Yes." Her voice sounded crackly, and she cleared her throat. Presea turned her head to the side to see the source of the voice, but the cloth on her forehead slid off. Her eyes met those of Genis, who looked like he had not gotten any sleep at all judging by the dark bags under his eyes. He picked up the cloth, rinsed it, and rung it out before walking back over to Presea and kneeling by her sleeping bag. She watched him with rapt attention, pale blue eyes tracing every movement. He moved the cloth towards her forehead and she subconsciously shifted back. He withdrew his hand, looking into her eyes. Presea's eyes held a childlike fear of him, like she was looking at a stranger who was approaching her.

"Presea, please. Let me take care of you," Genis pleaded. She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut tight. He dabbed her forehead with the cloth, watching the lines on her face disappear as she relaxed.

"I'm so sorry, Genis," Presea whispered. She felt him gently, very gently, move her head so he could lay the cloth on it. She kept her eyes closed, helping her focus.

"What were you doing, Presea? Why would you hurt yourself?" Genis asked, his voice choked up. It seemed like he had built up a dam for his emotions, restraining them beneath the surface.

"I am not sure...I was just so angry, and I didn't realize-"

"Stop. You're scaring me. I — we just got you back. I can't...I can't bear the thought of losing you again." He sounded on the verge of tears. Each word weighed Presea down, making her regret everything.

"Genis," she opened her eyes, "I'm sorry I worried you. It is my fault alone for your sadness. Please, cheer up." She brought her hand up and brushed his smooth cheek, watching the first tear trickle down his cheek.

"Don't cry," she murmured, using both hands to pull his head down so she could kiss his cheek. "Don't cry."

Genis simply got up and walked out of the tent without a word. Without Presea even realizing it, her eyes filled with hot tears. Why couldn't she do anything right? _Don't cry, Genis. You don't deserve to be upset_.

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

Genis stepped out of the tent into the fresh air, the tears on his cheeks feeling cold as the cool morning breeze met it. He quickly wiped away the dampness, and began walking to clear his mind. The half elf did not understand Presea. She seemed so distant, but not in the sense she didn't want to be with him. It seemed like she didn't deem herself worthy of conversing with him, and kept herself distracted. Genis knew he just needed to give her space, but it was unnerving. Her actions, such as the most recent incident, were concerning. What emotional turmoil could drive her to cause herself pain, and keep it all inside no less? _Presea, you don't know what you're doing to me..._ Genis ran a hand through his messy mop of silver hair. He had gotten no sleep last night, for he had been taking care of Presea. Or rather watching over her. He had not left her side once while Raine healed her damaged hands, and refused to fall asleep just incase she woke up in the middle of the night or she needed her bandages checked. Above all, though, he was too shaken to sleep. The image of her coming back, blood dripping from her hands but a serene expression on her face, give him chills. Genis' thoughts flashed back to before he left, when she had kissed his cheek and told him not to cry. He couldn't help it; he cared about her. Too much, probably. However, when you're on a journey where everywhere you go you can potentially die, you get extremely close with your companions. Not only are they your friends, but your lifesavers, the ones who have your back in a fight and support you outside the battlegrounds as well. The leaves crunched under Genis' feet loudly as he continued on. His grew deeper and deeper in thought the longer he walked. _I wonder what she was dreaming about last night._ The image of her lying on the tent's floor, whimpering, choking back screams, and thrashing at times flashed through his mind. What awful things were her dreams filled with? Genis wasn't sure he even wanted to know. _Presea, don't cry. You don't deserve to be upset_.

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

Presea stared blankly at the spot where Genis had been a few moments ago, blistering tears dripping off her cheeks. Her mind raced as she tried to understand. _He was...upset because of me...because I hurt myself...why would my pain concern him?_ Presea sat for a few moments, contemplating.

_Well, if you saw him all bloodied up, wouldn't you be a bit upset, probably even shaken?_ said Presea's consciousness. Cold guilt washed over her like a bucket of ice water being dumped on her head. Her stomach dropped as the unpleasant feeling spread, and she gripped the coarse sheets in her fists. Her legs, as if by their own will, stood up and led her out of the tent. She was seeking...what was she seeking? What was her body looking for that her mind did not yet comprehend? The guilt from her earlier revelation still churned freshly in her gut, causing her extremities to go numb. She caught a flash of silver hair in the corner of her eye, and it made sense. She was seeking Genis. Now that her mind was in touch, she walked towards the woods that Genis had been walking along. He seemed very deep in thought, and she had to clear her throat delicately to get him to look up. His head perked up and his eyes held pain as his gaze met hers.

"Presea..." he started, but the pink-haired girl shook her head. She tried to form a word, but her voice failed her. It felt like she had swallowed a rock and it was still lodged in her throat.

"Presea, why are you crying?" Genis asked gently, staring at her tear-streaked face in confusion. Presea immediately lifted a hand to feel her cheek, and her glove came back damp with tears. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

"I-I'm...s-"

"If you're going to apologize, I don't need to hear that again. I just want you to be alright," Genis told her, cerulean orbs flashing with concern. Presea took a shaky breath.

"I am...unharmed."

"You know that's not what I meant."

Presea averted her gaze. She felt a light pressure on her head, and gasped before looking up. Genis' head was angled towards the ground, his hair obscuring all his facial features except his mouth that was set in a grim line. However, his hand rested softly on the top of her head.

"I know there's a lot about you I don't know. I know you don't feel like you belong anywhere, and I know you suffer every day from pain that I don't understand. Even so, I'm trying to be here for you, but you're pushing me away, and...and I don't know why. What did I do?" He never looked up once, but he removed his hand. His voice was choked and cracked, as if speaking was an excruciating experience. Except it wasn't. Presea knew she was the excruciating pain. She was what caused him to be so upset. This time, she had no words. Her mouth instantly dried, and so much guilt was crushing her she thought she might vomit. Presea's mind went into overdrive. _What do I do? What do I say? What have I done? This is a mess! I...I need to get out of here! _One word shone bright in her mind: _Flee_. So, like the coward she was, Presea ran away from Genis. His heartbreakingly passionate words still replayed in her head as she came to a stop by the tents. Her chest heaved up and down, not from physical exertion, but from the jumble of emotions running through her head.

"Presea...are you okay?"

Presea turned her head to come face to face with Lloyd, his warm brown eyes sparkling with concern in the morning sunlight. She swallowed, trying to rid herself of the lump lodged in her throat.

"Let me rephrase; Are you really okay? Don't try and act stronger than you are," Lloyd warned. Presea tried to regulate her breathing before responding.

"I am...horrible. I left Genis by himself all because I'm...a coward. Despicable," Presea spat. Lloyd furrowed his brow.

"Hold on...what happened?"

Presea explained everything that had happened from when she woke up to current time. Lloyd listened carefully to each word.

"Listen...I may not be too much help for a lot of things, but Genis has been my friend for as long as I can remember. He isn't mad at you, he just feels like he's...failed you. Genis has this sense of loyalty that ties in with his pride, and he's hurting right now because you don't seem to want his help. You just need to talk to him and show him that you do appreciate it and that you care about him as well, because that's all he wants to know." Lloyd ruffled Presea's hair slightly in reassurance.

"Thank you Lloyd." The young swordsman simply brushed it off.

"No problem."

So, the young ax-girl set off to find the young mage whom she had emotionally wounded and reverse the damage she had done. However, the question still remained: How?

.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.•°•.

**I know, it's so short. I've hit a bit of a dry spot in my story, or, in other words, writers block. Also this update is long overdue, and it's a bit anticlimactic. Updating for two stories is quite stressful. Anyways, I will plan on making the next update much longer, but life can be crazy. Oh, and a quick announcement! If you could check out my new story "Hold Me Again," I would be so grateful. I worked really hard on it. Thank you so much for reading, please leave a review (I love your reviews, I check everyday to see if anyone has left any new ones!). And, speaking of reviews, I shall reply to those who left them!**

**diety: Thank you for your faithful reviews :)**

**AnriMia24: Aww, thank you so much! You have no idea how much that means to me. I've thought of giving up many times because looking back on my book, my writing has changed so much and is just unbearable to me to read, but your support helped me to continue. Thank you :)**

**Drogyn: (I know you're still on chapter 9 but I'm still recognizing you). Dang you said so much I don't even know what to start with, and I've tried to edge away from super review replies, so I'll try and keep it concise. Basically, thank you! For your support and advice. I also had fun reading your more creative comments. Again, thank you.**

**ChaoticChris: (You're on chapter 20 right now but you'll see this eventually) When I saw your reviews, I literally just dropped to my knees and fangirled like an idiot. I also realized how much I missed your reviews! You break down each chapter, helping me realize what to work on and also pointing out every little hint in my chapters that makes me float with happiness because you always get it! Also, being a huge fan of your writing...it just makes me so happy. Thank you so much :)**

**Alright, that'll be all for this chapter. See you all soon,**

**BE**


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